Alchemy: Her Blessing, Her Curse
by Jehricka
Summary: Alchemy... It destroyed my family and my life. I was thrown into situations I could've avoided. But... I can't imagine life without him... Can I survive if I choose to love him? EdwardxOC CainexOC RoyxRiza. SUITABLE FOR OLDER TEENS. SOME MATURE CONTENT
1. I: Knew Mourning, New Morning

**A/N: w00t. First fanfic posted on a site... Mur... I'm a little nervous about it I must say. Hopefully it will be a good foot to get started on, eh? Sighs Well... Hrm... What else does I want to say right now for this...? Well... Nothing I guess o.o. I appreciate all comments you have! Thankies! **

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist sniff. I do not own the Elric brothers, the military personnel or anyone else whom you may see in this fic. I DO own Nikki... And I am oh, so proud of that because she is amazing and I believe she is my best character yet. nod

**Prologue:**

What do I know about my past...? Heh, well I can't remember it all... I only remember past my eleventh birthday, unfortunately. However, I can tell you all that I know, what I think happened. Oh, but where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself yet! My name is Nikki Tucker. I am the oldest daughter of the late Shou Tucker; military alias, the Sewing Life Alchemist. I have a younger sister, younger by only 4 years named Nina.

Heh, I would give more away but that would spoil the story for you... My deepest apologies if you wanted me to dig a bit deeper but, I assure you, everything will be explained in due time. For now, I'll let you in on the memory that inspires the telling of this story, and so without further a due, here it is...

**Friday, 3:27 pm**

The sun was hidden by a group of dense gray clouds. A low rumbling sound echoed in the distance, followed by a vivid sigh and a clank, which sounded like metal on metal. A boy, no older than eleven stood before a large mansion, for lack of a better word. His long, golden blonde hair was pulled back into a braid and bangs hung lazily before a pair of honey hues. This boy was clothed in black from head to toe, save a pair of white gloves and an ankle-length red coat. He folded his arms and shifted, closing his eyes, tapping his foot lightly on the ground.

"Well, Al... It looks like rain..." Edward Elric opened his eyes gently and stared at the ground as a knock sounded again. When he had spoke, a suit of armor turned and looked down at him. It then looked at a man who was standing beside Edward.

He was a man of average height, approximately in his mid-twenties. He had orange-yellow hair that looked as if it had forever been unkempt, as it stuck out every which way, however, it was short nonetheless. A cigarette dangled from his lips as he tapped a finger against his thigh, both hands residing in his pockets. This man wore a blue uniform. A blue shirt, blue pants with black boots and a blue jacket outlined with gray that parted near the lower back and hung just above the ankles. This was a man of the military, Lieutenant Jean Havoc.

As Lt. Havoc raised his hand to clank the metal doorknocker against a metal strip on the wooden door before him for a third time, a man cracked the door open.

Jean blinked and grinned, the smoldering cigarette dangling between his teeth. "Well, it's about time, Mr. Tucker. For a sec there, I thought you weren't home!" He laughed.

The man had called 'Mr. Tucker' smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. A glare in is round glasses hid his eyes from view as he sighed with a small laugh. He wore a black shirt that had the sleeves pushed up a little past his elbows along with a pair of tan-coloured pants. "Yes, I'm very sorry I didn't come the first time. I was down in my basement, working on a new project for my upcoming assessment."

Jean nodded. "I see." He grinned once more and pulled his hands from his pockets, putting his clenched fists on his hips. "Can we come in? There's someone I'd like ya ta meet!" Tucker turned and looked at Edward and the suit of armor, the glare now gone from his glasses revealing a pair of curious blue eyes. "Oh, yes of course." As he smiled, his head bobbed a bit and he stepped aside to let the three of them enter.

Jean let Ed and the suit of armor walk into the house before entering and standing beside Tucker as he closed the door. "Colonel Mustang sends his apologies for not being here on time. He should be here soo-" A knock at the door interrupted him. The two turned and looked at the door and Tucker pulled it open.

A handsome man who looked remarkably young for the age of twenty-nine stood in the doorway, bearing a military uniform like Jean's. His coat, however, was buttoned up the front and bore small crests and ribbons on the chest. His black hair draped down to the tops of his ears and under his arm, he held a military cap. He was rather proper looking and almost too much so at the time.

Colonel Roy Mustang grinned. "Sorry I'm late!" He walked into the house and placed his cap on the table at which Ed and the suit of armor were sitting. "Now... Shou Tucker, meet Edward and Alphonse Elric." He said, gesturing towards the two. Tucker walked over and sat down.

"Hm... So... Edward Elric... The famed Fullmetal Alchemist..." He said slowly, resting his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together. "And... Alphonse?" He asked curiously as his eyes traveled to the suit of armor. Rain began to lightly patter against the windows.

"Yes..." Replied Mustang.

Shou smiled. "S-"

"So." Ed interrupted unintentually. "You know all about chimeras? About all different sorts of transmutations?"

Tucker looked taken aback for a moment. "Oh, yes. I have a rather large collection on the subjects... But... I'll show you what's up my sleeve if you show me what's up yours..." Roy blinked and cleared his throat, narrowing his gaze at Tucker a little.

"S'alright..." Replied Ed, smiling a little. He had stood and shed his red coat. "Equivalent exchange... That's what the world's all about, isn't it? The whole... Eye for an eye sort of thing?" Ed then undid the small clasp of a second black coat that only fell to his waist. It was open from the top down in the shape of an upside-down 'V'.

When he pulled it off, Tucker opened his mouth in a somewhat astonished look. This boy... His whole right arm... It was metal...

Tucker was leaning foreward a little, lips pressed lightly against his laced fingers. "I see... So you tried to bring your mother back to life with a human transmutation and lost your leg... Then, when your brother lost his body... You transmutated him into that armor in exchange for your arm?"

Ed nodded. "Yup, that's pretty much it." He tapped his left leg with his left hand. "But, these limbs have saved me from a few tight situations. Can't really complain, I guess."

The armor, Alphonse; Ed's younger brother, finally spoke. "We're trying to find the Philosopher's Stone. My brother wants to get my body back for me." His voice was soft and childish as if it was coming from a person no older then 7 or 8. In truth, Al was 10 years of age, one year younger than his brother was.

"I see..." Tucker replied again. Mustang cleared his throat once more. Jean was leaning against the wall, puffing his almost spent cigarette. "I've told the higher-ups that Edward lost his limbs in the civil war... I would appreciate it if you kept the truth between us."

Tucker blinked at Roy and nodded. "Yes! Of course!" He said hurrily.

There was a whimper coming from the staircase nearby and a small sneeze. The five people in the room turned to see a young girl with red-purple hair done in two long braids that hung to her waist. She seemed to be seven years old. This young girl wore a pair of brown shoes and mute pink socks. The rest of her attire consisted of a pale green shirt and a denim jumper that reached her knees. She had big, childish eyes and was standing beside a large golden dog, which was panting.  
Tucker smiled a little. "Ed, Al... This is my daughter, Nina and her dog Alexander..."

**6:56 pm**

Nina was sitting at the dinner table staring at the clock in front of her, her feet swinging lazily back and forth. Ed walked through the doorway, stretching his arms over his head, Alphonse close behind. He had put his black long-sleeve coat on over the black tank top he wore and sat at the head of the table, looking at Nina.

"Whatcha doin' ?" He asked curiously. Nina barely mouthed " 6:58" and then looked at Ed, grinning. "Did you find what you were looking fowa? All that weading must be hawd."

Al rubbed her head gently. "No, we'll look tomorrow, though." Ed grinned. "Yeah, right after we go and play a game of tag!" Nina grinned and threw her arms in the air. "Yay! Thank you big brother!" She leaned over in her chair and hugged Edward before she looked at the clock quickly. ...6:59.

The rain was coming down harder now and as the clock chimed 7 o'clock, the front door opened. Nina grinned from ear to ear and pushed her seat back. It screeched against the wooden floor and she ran over to the person who had entered Tucker's mansion. "YAAAY! I thought you were gonna be late!" The person giggled as Nina clung to their leg. "Silly..." It was a girl. "I'm never late, you know that."

Tucker emerged from the kitchen and brushed his hands off. He looked at Nina and the girl as she shut the door.

"Oh, Nikki! Welcome home." The girl lifted her head and smiled. "Hi, dad."

Nikki wore a black baseball cap over a curtain of currently stringy and wet chestnut brown hair. Her bright purple eyes were set against lightly tanned skin and a pair of glasses seemed to be sliding down the brim of her nose. Draped over her forearm was a plastic bag with a coat hanger sticking out of the top. Inside the bag was a female school uniform. Nikki must've attended a boarding school of sorts and only came home on weekends and holidays. Nikki wore a pair of jeans that were soaked at the bottoms and on the backs from being hit by the rain. Around her waist was a studded belt that hung lopsided and around her wrist, a matching cuff on her wrist. She also wore a simple black t-shirt that barely had any sleeves and was snug on her torso, rising above her stomach a little.

Nina was snuggling against her older sister who pulled off her soaked baseball cap and hung it on a rack along

with her uniform. She bent over and slid her hands beneath Nina's arms, lifting her off the ground and holding her up against her chest. Nina then took to clinging to her sister's neck.

"Nikki, these are the Elric Brothers..." Tucker said, gesturing to Ed and Al. "They'll be staying here while visiting Central." Nikki looked over at them and smiled. "Hello." Al raised a hand and cheerfully responded, "Hello, Nikki! Very nice to meet you. I'm Alphonse, and this is my brother, Edward."

Ed, whose mouth was opened a bit as his honey-coloured eyes fixated on Nikki, blinked at the sound of his name. "huh...Wh-... Oh, yeah... Nice to meet you..."

Tucker smiled as Nikki and Nina both sat at the table. He rested his hands on his waist. "Well, everything's ready. Let's eat shall we?"

**10:00 pm**

The faint sound of 10 chimes rang throughout the house. Nikki was stroking Nina's wavy, long hair gently as she slept. As Nikki was bent over her younger sister, she smiled gently with soft, loving and motherly eyes. She kissed her forehead and once more ran her fingers through her hair. She then stood up straight and blew out the candle on the bureau beside her bed. Nikki walked out of the room and into the guestroom. A pair of red, black and white plaid pajama bottoms barely clung to her waist and a black halter-top covered all but her bellybutton, down. Her chestnut hair was dry and shimmering now, done up in a messy bun on the back of her head.

Al looked at her as she walked in. Ed was pouring over a piece of paper he was writing on, his fingers entwined in his hair as he chewed on his bottom lip. Quickly he signed the letter he was writing and folded it into an envelope. He jumped as Nikki returned the wave Al had given her with a small 'Hi'. Ed looked at her in the process of licking the envelope flap and then smiled weakly. He looked down and quickly pulled his tongue into his mouth. "...Hi, Nikki."

Nikki giggled and smiled a little. "Hi." She walked over and sat on the empty bed, which Ed had claimed, as his red jacket was laying on the pillow. Slowly, she glanced from Al, to Ed and the at the ground. She was in desperate need for a spark in conversation. "...So... Where are you two from, anyway?"

Al tilted his head. "We're from-" "Resmbool." Ed interrupted, turning in the chair to face her.

Nikki blinked. "Where's that?"

Ed folded his hands behind his head, crossing his ankles up on the desk. "Well, it's kind of a small town to the east. Nothing like here in Central. It's really quiet all the time. Nothing ever happens there." He shrugged a bit.

Alexander pawed into the room, whimpering softly. Nikki, Ed and Al all looked at him. "Oh... I'll be right back... He needs to be fed..." Nikki said slowly and stood. "No! Al'll do it for you! He likes dogs!" Ed said quickly, lurching forward in his seat grabbing her forearm. Al looked at Ed a bit shocked and then nodded slowly. "Uh... Yeah... I'll go.." He stood and he and Alexander walked from the room.

Nikki blinked, a bit lost. She looked down at Ed's hand clutching her arm. Soon enough, so did he. Quickly, he pulled it back and frowned, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry..." He muttered.

Nikki smiled softly. "S'ok." The room somehow became deafly quiet. Nikki didn't know when, she didn't really know how, but it did. The silence wasn't just deafening, it was awkward, which was perhaps worst of all... It was at the point of driving her mad. Finally, she realized something that was... Odd..

Ed had removed both gloves, causing both hands to become exposed. His right hand... It was... Silver... Not just silver... It was... Metallic. Edward felt her gaze upon him and looked at her eyes that were focused on his auto-mail limb. Nikki looked up at him and quickly turned her head.

"...What?" He asked softly, standing and plopping next to her. "You want to know how I got it?"

Nikki looked back at his hand and then shrugged gently. "Iono..." She replied distantly.

Ed smiled a little. Normally he'd be reluctant to tell someone what happened but... There was just something about this Tucker girl that made him feel like he could say anything and maybe... Just maybe... Not be judged... She hadn't even called him short, yet! "Well... When Al and me were younger... Our mom got really sick and... She died... We were both so upset that we began to take alchemy lessons... We had a great teacher, too. She really knew her stuff... Well, after we had developed all the necessary skills to perform alchemy, we began to look for a way to bring our mom back, and we did; Human Transmutation."

"...What's that?" Nikki ventured.

"Well, I guess it's kind of like... Or... It is a sin against nature... We knew that but we were so riddled with grief... We just wanted our mom back... Anyway... When we preformed the transmutation... I lost my left leg," He tapped it. "and Al lost his body." A small gasp was heard from Nikki. "...I came-to and realized I was alone... I was willing to sacrifice anything just to get him back... So I lost my arm in exchange for his soul... And I sealed it in that armor..."

"That's... That was a really brave thing for you to do for your brother, Edward..."

Ed looked at her and smiled a little. "...Thanks. You would do the same for Nina... You shouldn't act like it's something you wouldn't do if you had to."

Nikki smiled a bit. "I suppose you're right..." Her bright purple eyes fell on his arm again, smile fading. "...Edward...?" Nikki raised a hand to her mouth and held her thumbnail between her teeth. "...What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"...Having limbs like that... I mean..." She removed her hand from her face and touched his mechanical one gently, lacing her fingers between his. "...Can you feel?"

Ed blinked a little, seeming a bit taken aback by her question. He'd never actually thought about that before. "Well... I guess... I'm not really sure." He tapped the back of her hand gently with his metal fingers, contemplating how to better respond. For some reason, Edward didn't feel satisfied with giving her such a weak response. "...I guess... You could kind of say it's not really... Feeling... But in a way... It is... I dunno. It's almost like it's... Numb. I'm... I'm aware that your hand is there... But I can't feel it as well as I could with this one..." Ed raised his left hand and squeezed it gently into a fist.

Nikki watched him and nodded gently. "Oh..." "But, I mean... It doesn't bother me." Ed continued. "These auto-mail prosthetics have gotten me out of a lot of different situations." At this he grinned, which made Nikki smile softly. "Well... If you're happy with them, if they help you so much... Why look for the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Well..." He said slowly. "It's for my brother more than for me. You can understand that, I'm sure." Nikki smiled a bit and nodded. "Yeah, I can."

**Sunday, 4 am**

Ed and Al were sitting in a mass of books that they had taken to their room from Tucker's library. Ed was sitting at the desk, his red jacket draped over his shoulders. He appeared to be pouring over a book but, in truth, the young alchemist was staring at his auto-mail hand, contemplating something. He rubbed the smooth, cool metal slowly and sighed.

"Big brother..?" Al's voice reached Ed and he turned to look at his younger sibling.

"Yeah, Al?"

"We've been looking through these books for hours... Can we take a break?"

Ed sighed gently and stood up, pushing his arms through his coat. "Yeah... I'm hungry anyway. We did miss dinner, after all."

Al nodded slightly. "Alright, big brother." he said through a small laugh. With that, the two Elrics headed out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen in the mansion.

When they arrived, Edward smiled at a plate of food on the table covered with plastic wrap. Thinking back to 7 pm yesterday, Nikki had poked her head in and told him that she had left him some dinner. Ed walked over to the table and sat down, pulling the dish towards him. The silverware was still set in place for him. Obviously, the Tucker family had anticipated the two to join them.

Ed leaned back in the chair, his empty plate in front of him. Both hands rested on his stomach as he sighed, his mouth open, exhausted from wolfing down a few plates of the wonderful dinner. "Boy, Al... I'm stuffed..." Ed raised a hand to the back of his head and rubbed it gently, braid shifting a bit. "It was great, though..."

"Obviously!" Al said in an exasperated tone. "You ate all of the leftovers they had from dinner!"

Ed grinned sheepishly and tapped his stomach with his fingers. "...I wonder who made it..." He muttered. Just then, someone could be heard walking down the stairs and through a corridor that led down into the library. Ed and Al both turned and Ed raised a brow slowly. "Hm... Wonder who that could be this late at night..?" Al seemed a bit puzzled as well.

"Maybe it's Mr. Tucker?"

"Maybe..." Ed replied slowly. He stood and softly followed. Al blinked. "Hey!" He held the back of the chair with one hand as he turned. Al reached his other hand towards his brother. "Ed, wait for me!" Al quickly stood and followed his older brother.

The two walked on down the corridor and into the library. They followed the footsteps to the back of the large shelf-filled room and through a door, which stood ajar. Ed glanced around slowly and gasped a bit. This small room was filled with nothing but cages... Cages that held vicious looking animals... You couldn't even call them animals... They were... Mutations of sorts. Ed and Al looked at the creatures slowly. Sweat ran down Edward's face. "...This must be where Tucker kept all his failed chimera experiments..." He said softly to no one in particular, though he knew Al heard him.

As the threatening, yet mournful yellow eyes of the many chimera flickered as they watched the Elrics pass across the room to another open door which seemed to actually be lit, they howled or hissed or... Whatever kind of sounds they made, in extremely painful tones... These creatures were suffering.

The two boys advanced into the room. They stared around, a bit taken aback by the sight. The entire room was a bit cold, as it was made entirely of stone. On each of the three undisturbed walls, was a large black circle. Each had their own unique design and a foreign scripture Ed couldn't interpret if his life depended on it. On the floor was a much larger circle that seemed to be a merger of the other three, design wise.

"Very good..."

The two boys looked down at Tucker who was crouched down in front of something that looked like a large dog.

"Very good, indeed." He told the creature, rubbing its head gently.

It tilted its head around Tucker and looked at Ed and Al unblinkingly with beady black eyes. Tucker turned and looked at them as well. He smiled and stood, stepping aside to reveal the creature he was talking to. Ed blinked and gaped at it. It was a creature unlike one he had ever seen. The main fur colour of this creature was almost off-white. It had a hunched back and there was a crease where the spine would be. From that crease sprouted long reddish-purple hair that fell down to its feet. Those were almost human-like... But they seemed to have a more fur-covered dinosaur-like build. This animal also had a muzzle like a dog and a nose like a dog. A very odd thing indeed, this was.

"Isn't it amazing?" Tucker said, grinning. "It's the final product... The chimera for my assessment... It can speak human tongue!"

"...Speak?" Said a slightly dazed Ed.

"Yes." He nodded. "Watch." Tucker turned and bent down to the chimera. "Now, do you know who this boy is?" He extended a hand back towards Ed. "...This is Edward... He's a friend."

The chimera opened its mouth. "...Fre-... Ed... Ed... Ward?"

"Yes! Very good!" Shou rubbed the chimera's head.

"WOW! That's amazing!" Said Ed, who's jaw was almost to the floor. "How... How'd you get it to speak so fast!" However, Ed never got his answer, for the chimera had approached him and was tugging at the bottom of his jacket with its mouth. Edward squatted in front of it, looking at it curiously. "B-... B-... Big... Brother?" Ed's eyes widened slowly and he stared dead at the chimera.

"Mr. Tucker..." Ed said, eyes now covered in shadow produced by his bangs. "...How long ago did you say you made your first chimera?"

Shou blinked. "Hm... About a year ago."

"..And when did you say your wife left you?"

"...That was a year ago too."

"... I only have one more question for you, Mr. Tucker."

"Hm?" Shou looked at him.

"Where exactly are Nina and Alexander!" Ed threw a vicious and disgusted glare at Shou Tucker, his eyes harnessing all the hate that he could muster.

Tucker lowered his head, grinning munificently. "...I hate nosey, perceptive brats like you..." He said softly, in a tone of amusement. "They always get into trouble." Before the last word had finished pouring out of Tucker's mouth, Ed had him pinned against the wall, punching him repeatedly across the face.

"YOU SICK BASTARD! FIRST YOUR WIFE, NOW YOUR OWN DAUGHTER AND YOUR DOG!" Ed screamed through hard, merciless punches.

"Brother!" Al ran forward, his hand extended to Ed. "Stoppit, brother! You'll kill him!"

Ed's fist froze in mid-air, shaking violently, and the metal it was made of rattled softly. Blood streamed down Tucker's face. There was a sick grin on his face and his wide blue eyes made him lock even more psychotic without his glasses, which were across the room, broken in two.

"Brother, please calm down!"

"Why Al? WHY!" Tears began to stream down the still enraged Ed's face. "Don't you know what he's done! What a sin he's made! He's sick! He deserves to die!"

"Come, now Edward. Is it really that different from what the two of you attempted?" Tucker said, in a rather raspy tone of voice, the grin remaining on his face. "You committed a sin against nature as well. We're alike, you and I."

"SHUT UP!" Ed punched him hard once more. "WE'RE NOTHING ALIKE! YOU-! I'D- I'D NEVER-!"

Al turned as he heard the chimera stand and trot to the doorway, whimpering a little. It turned to face the wall beside the door inside the other room and sat. A shaking, pale hand reached out and rested upon the top of its head gently. "...Big... Sister... We...Play hide and seek... Now?"

Nikki whimpered behind the wall.

"You... Not... Tired... Anymore?"

Heavy, broken breathing came from Nikki as she clapped a free hand over her mouth, the other shaking violently as she pat the chimera's head. "...Oh, Nina... I'm so sorry..." She said softly through a heavy exhale.

"Nee-... Ki... It hurts... Make it stop... Stop... The... Hurting... Please?"

A louder whimper came from Nikki as she pulled her hand from her mouth, wisps of chestnut hair clinging to the streaks her tears had made as they ran down her face. "Nina... I'm sorry."

"It's... Alright... We play hide-and-seek now?"

Nikki smiled faintly and then nodded. "... I promised I would..."

Ed frowned and trembled as he saw her lean forward, embracing the chimera around the neck. It whimpered and rested its head on her shoulder. "Nikki..." It said slowly. "...I... Love you." Ed could see Nikki's arms pull tighter around the chimera as it spoke. He still had the collar of Tucker's shirt in his hand as he looked at the ground, eyes hidden in shadow once more.

**5:30 am**

"What's the matter with you! You can't just take Nina like that!" Ed screamed.

Four men wearing the State Alchemist military uniforms walked out of the house. On one of each of their shoulders was a long metal bar. Attached to the two metal bars was a large cage that held a frightened and spastic chimera. It was turning about in circles in the cage. Ed could tell; she was looking for Nikki. She wanted Nikki to come and help her, to protect her, and he could swear he could hear her calling out her name in her head.

The men walked over to a large armoured car and slid the cage into the back slightly. One man climbed in, past the cage opened it, and then slipped out as the other three men pulled the cage out, slamming the doors to the back of the truck.

"Bastards! Listen to me!" Edward raised a fist and blinked as something tightened around his wrist. He turned his head, honey-coloured eyes staring blankly before filling with rage again. "Mustang! Do something! Make them stop!"

"I can't..." Replied the Colonel. "It's not my doing... This is all being done under the orders of General Basque Gran..."

Ed winced and clenched his hands at his sides. "But..."

"I know it's not fair... But there's nothing we can do..." Roy put his military cap on his head and walked over to one of the buggies, climbing inside.

Ed watched as the four cars drove off down the cobblestone road. Alphonse walked up next to him. "Brother..? Are you alright?"

"No, Al... It's not fair..."

Al sighed and folded his arms. "Wha-?" He said in a dazed sort of voice as he watched his brother take off down the road. "Brother! Wait for me!" Al started after him.

Nikki watched them from her window and winced a little, wiping the black streaks from her eyeliner off her pale cheeks. She sighed and turned her head stubbornly, breathing hard like she had been running. With an exasperated sigh, she grabbed her jacket from her bed.

"Brother! What're you going to do!" Al called as Ed stopped a few feet away from the line of buggies, which were stopped at a red light.

Breathing and shaking with fury, the 11-year-old state alchemist clapped his gloved hands together. He dropped swiftly to one knee slamming his open hands on the concrete ground. Beneath his hands, long blue lights sparked spontaneously in every direction. As the lights increased rapidly in appearance, the ground cracked and lifted as if a set of invisible hands picked it up from one side flicked it like a long rug. The buggies flew into the air and crashed to the ground.

Ed stood up and watched as the back door to the buggie Nina was in flew open. A bit shaken, the chimera jumped out of the back and spun around in confusion. She then darted down an alleyway.

"N-Nina! Wait!" Ed called, reaching out a hand. Al watched her leave and ran after his older brother who continued to call her name.

Nina finally reached an alleyway with a dead end. She wheezed and whimpered from running and blinked as she spotted a figure sitting in the corner of the alley. Cautiously, she approached him.

He looked up. He had a dark complexion, like someone with Native American blood. A large scar in the shape of an 'X' crossed the upper half of his face, across his bright red eyes. He was wrapped in a tattered sheet, though he did wear a yellow pair of sweatpants and matching sweatshirt.

"...Poor creature..." He said as he ran a hand through his white hair. The man extended his arm and pat Nina's head.

"...Who would create such a sin against God?"

Nina licked at the palm of his hand and whimpered.

"...You're in pain..." He sighed and looked up, pulling the sleeve of his right arm up, revealing a complicated tattoo resembling a sort of transmutation circle. "...Don't worry... I'll put you out of your misery forever... Be happy with your creator..." He gripped the top of Nina's head with his right hand. The tattoo glowed red and there was a sound like an explosion. Nina yelped loudly.

Ed panted, looking around as rain began to beat down hard on the ground, soaking his hair instantly. "Nina! Where are you!" Ed began running again, Al coming up behind him.

"Brother! Slow DOWN!" Al panted as they passed the alley. Ed stopped, sending Al skidding quickly to a stop. Ed took a few backward steps and looked around in the alley quickly.

"Nina!" He sighed and stared at the dead end wall. A look of horror was frozen on his face. Al stood near the entrance and stared as well.

"Brother... Wh-...What-?"

But Ed never answered. He just continued to stare at the large blood splatter on the wall. The blood splatter, however, wasn't normal... It looked like the bone structure of Tucker's chimera.

Al gasped softly as Ed's lip trembled, clenching his teeth slightly. "Brother... It looks like..." Al and Ed both turned, hearing a soft whimper from behind them.

Nikki was also staring at the outline, trembling violently, her face paler than it had been when she left to follow them. Without warning, she collapsed to her knees, her hands on the ground in front of her, and cried uncontrollably, whimpering and inhaling sharply.

Ed stared at her sympathetically and walked over, kneeling in front of her. Nikki barely looked up before Edward pulled her against his chest and rested his chin on her head, stroking her wet hair slowly.

"It's alright, Nikki... Please... Please don't cry..." he choked, as tears streamed down his face as well.

**A/N: Well... That's how everything started. I hope you liked it. No flames. Comment, please! -Tasha**


	2. II: Would Be Memories

**Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist, nor any of the characters in the fic. BUT! I DO pwn Nikki... So there!**

**2 months later...**

Colonel Roy Mustang was sitting at his desk with his elbows propped up on the surface, fingers laced and pressed gently against his lips. Slowly, he let out a long sigh and half-opened his dark eyes. He sniffed and lowered his hands staring at another member of the military who sat across from him, arms folded.

This man had dark hair also, though his was slightly more messy than Mustang's. Before his brown eyes were a pair of rectangle glasses. He sighed as well and ran a hand over the stubble on his face unconsciously, before leaning forward, resting his hands on his thighs.

"So, Roy..? What now?"

Roy closed his eyes, seeming utterly disgusted with himself. "...Unbelievable... Something like that... Going on under my own nose... It's ridiculous Maes... How can I expect to gain respect with an alchemist like that ruining my chances of promotion!"

"Calm down... Anyway, you did all you could. Tucker is dead and so is that thing... But your promotion should be the least of your worries right now... What're we supposed to do with his older daughter? It's been two months and she's still living in that house..."

"I know that." responded Mustang through gritted teeth. "I'm doing all I can right now."

"Well, there's nothing left to do there, either. The General wants to reposes the house."

"What!"

"Well..." Maes said slowly. "It was the military who supplied Shou with the house in the first place... For his chimera experiment a year ago... Remember?"

"Of course I do!" Roy shouted irritably.

"Alright, alright." Maes held up his hands defensively. "Don't shout... I'm being civilized here, there's no reason why you shouldn't be..."

Mustang sighed and leaned back in his chair. "So then... Where is she?"

"Who?" Maes blinked, looking slightly bewildered.

"Nikki... The Tucker girl..."

"Oh... Well,-" Maes pushed his glasses up onto his face. "- she's right outside... Just sitting there in the hall on the bench with Major Armstrong and First Lt. Hawkeye."

"...Has she said anything...?"

"No..." Maes shook his head slightly. "Nothing... Actually... I haven't heard her talk at all since-"

Maes and Roy looked over their shoulders as the door to the room creaked open. A woman, perhaps Roy's age was standing there, holding a clipboard against her chest. She had blonde hair fixed on the back of her head with a straight, green clip and bright chestnut eyes.

"Colonel..." She nodded towards Roy. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes..." The woman nodded again, this time towards Maes.

Roy blinked slightly and nodded back. "Lieutenant."

Maes grinned and raised a hand. "Hey, Riza!"

Riza Hawkeye raised an eyebrow slowly and then sighed. "Colonel, the Major and I were talking and we thought that, with the situation at hand, perhaps Central could spare a room in the dorms for Nikki." Roy and Maes looked at her curiously before she continued. "Well... Since Ed doesn't care to use the rooms we keep for himself and Alphonse, perhaps we can give Nikki one of the two rooms and, if need be, leave the second for the Elric brothers."

The Colonel looked at her slowly before smiling. "That's actually a good idea... Very well... But we have to go through procedure... I just hope she can muster up enough courage to speak..." Roy stood up and walked out of the office, following Riza, Maes at his heels.

Outside the office, on bench against the outside wall to Mustang's office, sat Nikki and, beside her, a rather large man also clothed in the military uniform.

Quickly, the man stood and slapped his feet together, saluting the Colonel and Lt. Colonel. He stood about 6'3'' and had bright blue eyes. Despite the fact that his muscle tone made him look incredibly intimidating, he was actually a pretty nice guy. His bright eyes said nothing less... Well... His eyes, and the single lock of blonde hair that protruded from his forehead and curled at the end.

Roy nodded towards Major Alex Armstrong and he instantly lowered his arm, relaxing himself. He then looked down, almost hopelessly at Nikki, who never even glanced up.

She sat with her back against the bench and her hands on her knees. Her bright purple eyes were downcast and she let out a small sigh every so often.

Hawkeye, Armstrong, and Mustang all exchanged glances and sighed. Then, without warning, Maes squatted beside the bench, laying his forearm on the arm rest of the bench. "Hi," he said with a grin.

Nikki glanced up, barely even lifting her head before staring blankly down at the ground once more. At least she had shown him that she acknowledged him.

"I'm Maes... Maes Hughes. Your name's Nikki right?" His question was returned by with the slightest of nods, so he continued; "Well, Nikki... Is it alright if Colonel Mustang here takes you inside the office-" he patted the wall beside him "-and asks you a few questions? You see, we'd like to let you live here in the dorms... The state isn't too happy about you owning a house..." Maes frowned ever so slightly.

Nikki blinked slowly and looked up, finally lifting her head. She must have had it bowed for quite some time, as it cracked softly upon inclining it. With a heavy sigh through her nose, she nodded a few times.

Maes grinned and stood, hands on his waist. "Great!" He waited for her to stand before resting his hands on her shoulders and leading her gently inside Roy's office, meanwhile, ignoring the stunned looks on the other three personnel's' faces. However, Mustang and Hawkeye quickly followed the two inside, leaving Major Armstrong to go on about his daily duties.

Nikki looked around wearily, sitting in the chair Maes had been sitting in just minutes beforehand. Roy sat at his desk with Maes and Riza on either side, Riza's clipboard and pen at the ready.

Mustang looked at her slowly. "...Nikki, we just need some personal information so that we can submit the application for you to live here... Is that alright?"

Slowly, Nikki bobbed her head.

"Alright... First of all... How old are you?"

"...Eleven." As Nikki spoke, even through her soft tone, her voice cracked. She listened to the sound of Riza's pen scratching before her.

"...What's your full name?"

"...Nicolea Cecile Tucker..."

"What was your father's name?"

Nikki winced. "Shou Tucker..."

"And your mother's name?"

Nikki raised an eyebrow slowly. "...My mother?" she asked rather hesitantly.

"..Yes, that's right."

Nikki bit down on her lip and thought for a moment. She looked up, seeming incredibly shocked at herself. "...I... I don't know."

The three adults blinked slowly and exchanged odd glances. Roy looked at her again. "Nikki, I know it's not easy answering some of these questions but this is serious. It determines where you end up now... Please don't li-"

"But I'm not lying... I... I really can't remember, sir..." Nikki's voice softened again and she gazed towards her right.

Mustang sighed. "Alright... How about another question, then...? Hm..." Mustang scratched the back of his head, eyes closed. "How long have you lived in your previous home?"

Nikki blinked and lowered her eyebrows, hardly believing she couldn't remember this either. "...I'm... Not sure..."

Mustang blinked and studied her for a moment... She was fidgeting... And sweating, but only slightly. "Nikki..." Mustang said sternly, even more so then he had when asking the first question. "...What did you receive for your eleventh birthday?"

She blinked. "A locket from my sister." Nikki wondered for a moment what on earth that had to do with her gaining a room in the dorms.

"And your tenth?"

"I-...I--..." Nikki stuttered hopelessly, praying that a gift, any gift from her birthday last year would fall from her lips; it never did.

"How old were you when your mother died?" Mustang's voice had grown more violent-like and he had both hands planted on the surface of his desk, now on his feet.

"...I-..."

Maes blinked; he was going too far. "Colonel..."

"What did your father make in order to gain his house!"

Nikki was now trembling. Never in her life (that she could remember, anyway) had she been yelled at or forcefully talked to.

"Colonel Mustang." Maes repeated with a sternness in his voice now as well.

"When did your mother supposedly 'leave you'!"

"ROY!" Maes had a firm grip on the fabric of his comrade's coat.

Roy finally looked back, looking a bit surprised that he had stood at all and, even more surprised to see Hughes glaring at him with an extreme anger. His dark eyes traveled to Riza who had stopped writing and was sweating some from his outburst. Finally, he looked at Nikki, who was trembling violently by now, clearly scared out of her wits. Her face was pale and she couldn't seem to get a hold of herself or stop the tears from trailing down her face.

He sighed and his eyes softened. Calmly, Roy walked over to her and rested a hand carefully on her leg. "Nikki... I think it's time you tell us exactly what you've been doing the past two months..."

Nikki looked at him, seeming to have calmed in unison with Roy. She swallowed and narrowed her eyes in a shameful manner, looking away and down towards the ground her fists clenched beside her thighs on the cushion of the seat...

****

**30 minutes later, outside of Cl. Roy Mustang's office..**

After what seemed like an eternity of loud yells coming from behind the door of Colonel Roy Mustang's office, it seemed things had finally calmed down. Not to mention, the one responsible for most of the yelling had left and was now sitting down beside Nikki on the bench outside.

Maes Hughes sighed and crossed his legs, pushing his glasses up onto the brim of his nose with his index finger. As he folded his arms over his chest he exhaled once more. "So..."

Nikki said nothing. She felt guilty. She committed such a horrible sin- such a crime against alchemy- it had almost been unbearable for her to contain. In a way, she was glad to have told someone, perhaps not the way she would have preferred, but she got it out and that's what was most important.

Maes cast his eyes down at her. "...Wh-?"

"You want to know why I did it, don't you..?" This fell from her lips shakily before she even had time to swallow her words.

Maes nodded. "Mm.."

Heaving a sigh that was perhaps louder than she had spoken at all that day, she turned her eyes up to him and then glanced sideways to stare at the floor, leaning her back against the bench. Nikki couldn't deny it... She hadn't sat up straight at all that day and, truth be told, her back was beginning to ache terribly.

Mustang let a long, irritable sigh slip from his nostrils. His dark eyes were closed and his gloved hands were folded, pressed against his mouth gently. On his face, there was a look between pity, understanding and, if nothing else, just plain pissed off. "Ridiculous.." he muttered to himself.

Hawkeye looked at him from her place on the other side of the room. "What is, sir?"

"All of this," he said, waving one hand to back up his statement. "It's not right... How can all this be happening! The worst part was that until she found a new guardian, **I** was assigned to the job; and look what happened! Ridiculous!" he repeated.

"There's no need to shout, Colonel. I know how you feel, I'm upset as well... However," Hawkeye said a bit more sternly, "we have to make things appear business as usual... If we don't, someone will-"

"No one's going to find out Lt. The only ones who are to know about this are Hughes, Nikki, you and I... Is that understood?"

Without a word of objection, Hawkeye nodded. In all honesty, she had no reason to object to Roy's decision. She knew that at times he could be a bit... Out there... And alone, very alone... But other times, such as now, showed why he had been made Colonel. "Yes sir..."

Maes leaned forward slightly, his eyes focused on the young girl who sat beside him. He wasn't mad at her... He couldn't be, though he wasn't sure why. He knew very well what she had done, though no matter how bad it was impossible for him to not only pity her loss... But, somehow, respect her.

"...Well... I-...I just wanted my sister back... She was all the family I ever really had... As you can guess, I don't even remember my mom... And I knew that my dad wasn't much of a father figure. Ever since my eleventh birthday (being as far back as Nikki can remember) all he's done is study... Or spend time down in the library or in the lab beside his bedroom. I didn't want to go to that school because I knew that leaving Nina there might cause problems... But when I got her letters, I knew it was alright there... But just to make sure, I came home whenever possible... She was happy so I stopped worrying... But... I guess I did the wrong thing choosing to do that..."

Maes's eyes softened and the corners of his lips twitched upward into a small smile. "You're a very responsible big sister, you know... I'm sure Nina wouldn't blame you," he said, in attempts to reassure her. "I don't think there was anything wrong with what you did when I hear why... You just wanted to try again... To fix your mistakes... That's it, isn't it..?"

Nikki bobbed her head gently, her cheeks trembling and streaked with tears for the second time today. Her eyes were hidden; cast in shadow by the cords of chestnut hair hanging over her face.

Maes smiled wider and rested a hand on her shoulder with a firm, yet caring grip to it. "It's alright..."

Turning her head up towards him, she stared at him in disbelief with watery, blood-shot eyes; the colour of which looked a darker purple now that they were set against something other than white.

"Lieutenant Colonel..." Hawkeye was standing in the open doorway of Mustang's office, a piece of folded paper clutched in her hand.

Nikki and Maes both looked up at her and blinked.

"...Excuse me, but Colonel Mustang wanted me to give you this..." She approached him, her hand holding the note extended. "He wants you to brief the Elric brothers on their next assignment..."

Maes took the paper and removed his hand from Nikki's shoulder, causing her to frown slightly, though to no one's knowledge; except, perhaps, Riza's.

"Hm... Do I have to do it now?" He asked, looking up at her.

Riza quickly pulled her chocolate brown eyes from Nikki and looked at Maes, nodding. "To my knowledge, at least."

With a heavy sigh, Maes put his hands on his knees and stood up. He nodded a farewell to Riza and, a few steps from the bench, turned and waved to Nikki. His wave was acknowledged with a faint smile.

When Hughes had disappeared around a corner at the end of the hall, Riza looked at Nikki who jumped at her sudden gaze. "The Colonel has a room for you." She smiled and walked the opposite way down the hall. Turning her head, she looked at Nikki. "Come on."

Nikki slowly stood up and walked after her, knees buckling a little. However, she quickly caught up with the First Lieutenant.

The two walked down several flights of steps and finally through the large doors leading outside to a grassy yard cut in half by a dirt path. The green only stretched about 30 feet before meeting the bases of two warehouses marked 1 and 2. She followed Hawkeye down the path, past the grass, past the first two warehouses and many more marked with the numbers 1-12.

Riza took a right turn and Nikki followed meekly. She yawned loudly, her eyes watering a bit. They itched and stung with a tired feeling that she had had for quite some time. Actually, she couldn't quite remember the last time she got more than a couple hours sleep. Every time she drifted off, she was awaken by dreams that brought back memories too recent to even be forgotten yet. Normally it wouldn't bother her, as the memories themselves visited the corridors of her mind constantly but the more she slept and the more times she dreamed, the more vivid and sharper the images and memories came.

Riza glanced sideways to look at her, though kept her head straight. "..Tired?"

Nikki blinked and turned her head away, frowning. "..A little.." she muttered.

Riza scoffed softly, almost in an amused sort of way. "Well, the beds in the dorms are comfortable... I'm sure you'll sleep well from now on."

So far, Nikki had agreed with whatever the military had told her... This might've been the first time she rolled her eyes in disbelief.

**A/N: And so concludes Chapter 2! Hazaa! Oh, the accomplishments of me! I feel so proud! lol**


	3. III: Family Devine

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own FMA nor any characters included in the series. I own Nikki and that's it! Sheesh... Disclaimers are icky x.o**

Nikki stared around a room painted a colour set somewhere in between green and blue. There was a dark green carpet on floor that, from the golden designs on it, looked as though it would be better suited for a hotel. The bed was draped in light blue sheets and the curtain of the window beside the bed was a translucent white.

Riza stood at the door, her hand on the knob. "I know the colours clash a little too much... But until we can open up one of the warehouses it'll have to-"

"It's fine," Nikki said, just loud enough to cut Riza off.

With a small smile, Riza nodded. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes has offered to take you to your house this afternoon so that you can pick up your things. Until then, I'll leave you to yourself."

Nikki didn't see or hear Riza leave, but she had, for there was a loud silence, that often occurred when one with a lot on their mind was alone, present in the room.

She turned her head gently and walked over to the door, lightly bumping it back and forth with her hand. It was so quiet here...

Whatever Nikki had been thinking about had been wiped clean from her mind as a man, about twenty or so, scrambled down the hall, looking scared out of his wits. "KEEP THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"

Nikki blinked and, bewildered, raised a curious eyebrow. What on _earth_ could this man be _that_ afraid of? She poked her head out of the room, only to watch him scoot backwards across the floor, back pressed to the wall.

He was a tall man, maybe 5'9'' or taller. His bright orange hair stuck out every which way and his green eyes were filled with paranoia. This man of the military wasn't skinny, but then again, he wasn't fat either. I suppose you could say he was just 'filled out'.

A boy, who seemed no older than Nikki, emerged from a room at the opposite end of the hall, to the right. He had black, spiky hair and dark eyes that sat behind large, round glasses. Nikki spied the rank Sergeant Major above the breast pocket of his blue military coat. How could this boy even hold a military status at such an age? He looked as if he wasn't even out of Jr. High School yet. But, on the contrary, this boy was about 16 years old.

Slowly, Nikki raised her eyebrow in interest (as most girls her age, or any girl for that matter, did when eyeing an attractive boy).

The other man at the end of the hall held up his hands defensively, palms toward the bespectacled boy. "I'M WARNING YOU, FUERY! KEEP! IT! **AWAY**!"

The boy whom the older of the two called 'Fuery' held in his arms, to Nikki's surprise, a small black puppy with white paws, stomach, and muzzle. Nikki turned and gave the older man a shameful look. _You've gotta be kidding me... _She sighed. _Never saw that one coming..._

Caine Fuery frowned. "Come on Heymans... It's just a puppy."

"GET IT AWAY!"

Nikki shook her head. Both she and Caine, who was now standing beside her doorway let out sighs of pity. They blinked and looked at each other. "Oh... Hi," he said cheerily.

"..Hi." She replied softly. A faint smile appeared on her face.

"Are you new here?" The dog in Caine's arms yipped and flailed his front paws towards Nikki, tail wagging energetically.

"Well... I'm just using the dorm until I get a house of my own." She reached out and pat the puppy's head gently. He barked in approval.

"Oh. That's cool." Caine grinned. "I'm Caine Fuery, by the way..."

Nikki smiled a little. "...I'm Nikki Tucker..."

Caine's smile faded and he blinked. " 'Tucker'? So... So you're..?" He looked as if he were about to cry; his bottom lip puffed out beyond his top one and tears swelled in his eyes. "I'm so sorry!"

Nikki jumped from his reaction. It was the first time anyone had ever reacted quite like that and, frankly, Nikki was kind of frightened by it. "Uh... Uhm... S'ok." she raised a hand to try and calm him down. Actually, she was afraid he would drop the puppy in his arms, who look just as bewildered as she did.

Heymans had finally gotten the courage to join the two of them. He cleared his throat and looked at Nikki, grinning, though he still looked a bit nervous (being so close to the dog and all). "Heheh, yeah. Never you mind Fuery here. He's overdramatic."

_He's not the only one..._ Nikki rolled her eyes a little, a smile playing onher lips. For people labeled 'dogs of the military', they were actually pretty nice... Or, at least the ones she had met, anyway.

**Later that day...**

Noon came and went, as did 1 o'clock. Nikki had spent most of that day taking a tour of the dorms and the main building, thanks to Caine. She had also been introduced to the other military personnel working with Caine.

At the moment, she had completely forgotten about Hughes coming to pick her up to get her things; she was enjoying herself too much... Enjoying herself for the first time in months.

She never thought she would enjoy meeting military members this much. She especially enjoyed talking to the Warrant Officer, Vato Falman.

Vato was a tall man in perhaps his mid-thirties. He had white and gray-ish hair and a strong, proud face, even though he was just as nice as Fuery. Because she was able to communicate with Vato on a surprisingly high intellectual level, she quickly learned what exactly went on among Colonel Mustang's followers. She was also becoming fairly good at memorizing ranks.

It was during Caine's departments' lunch hour that Maes actually walked into the office. He glanced about quickly and spotted Nikki sitting with Caine, Jean, and Heymans Breda.

"I don't get why you don't like him." Cain was frowning, petting the dog that lay in Nikki's lap.

Breda watched the sleep pup carefully. "Dogs just creep me out. I don't need a better reason..."

Jean grinned. "You don't _need_ one, but you should have one."

Maes blinked and quirked an eyebrow. Jean actually didn't have a cigarette in his mouth. He laughed slightly. It was probably because he was in the presence of a girl.

He approached the group and, on his way over, picked up a chair from one of the tables. Maes carried it over to the four and set it between Jean and Nikki. Hughes sat down with his chest pressed against the back of the chair, his arms folded on it lazily. He put his weight on the back of the chair, causing it to lean on its two back legs.

Nikki glanced at him as he finally came into her line of vision. She smiled at him and the puppy, Black Hayate, raised his head little, opening his dark eyes drowsily. Maes put his hand on the pup's head and scratched behind his ears. "So, then... Ready to go? He asked, grinning at Nikki.

Her current smile widened as she nodded a reply, her chestnut locks falling into her face. Caine's smile faded a little and, half-heartedly, he picked the dog up off of Nikki's lap and stood. "...We should be getting back to work anyway... Nice meeting you."

"You too." Nikki nodded and smiled back up at Caine, who flushed a little. Heymans, Jean, and Vato all blinked and exchanged semi-evil grins upon catching Caine's reaction.

As the Lt. Colonel and Nikki stood, they each said goodbye to the military officers in the room and headed out of the office.

"So, Nikki..." Hughes said cheerfully as they walked out of the dorms. "...You hungry at all? I noticed you didn't eat lunch while you were talking with Caine and the others."

Blinking slowly, she looked up at him, hands in her jean pockets. "..Heh.." She blushed and glanced sideways. "A little..."

Maes smiled softly and clenched his fists, putting them on his waist and breaking into a grin once more. "Well then... What'd' you say to having a late lunch at my house after we go and pick up your things, huh?"

Staring up at him curiously for a moment, the corners of Nikki's lips twitched up. "Sure!" It was so ironic... This was the happiest she had been in what seemed like forever. All that was need to make it better were her new-found friends in the military and, perhaps even more important than them; Maes Hughes.

**30 minutes later**

It was a long timebefore either of them spoke again. However, it was simply Hughes asking; "Is this it?"

Nikki looked up at a large house with an iron gate in front of it. The paved walkway wound up to a large door with a metal knocker hanging in the center. She winced; Nikki had never wanted to see this place again. For all she cared, it could burn to the ground. "Yeah... This is it..."

He noticed the pain and animosity in her voice, though he mentioned nothing about it. He did not know _everything_ that had happened, but he knew the general facts. Those were enough to make him sympathize and comprehend just what this girl (who seemed like the ideal daughter and, the most benevolent pre-teen he had ever met) was going, and had gone through.

Maes yanked open the gate and the two ascended up the walkway. Nikki pulled a key from her pocket... She never wanted to wind up here again... But she also didn't want to forget what she could remember about this place... Like... The time spent with Nina and the Elric Brothers. Gently, Nikki pushed the key into the keyhole in the door handle, turning it.

The inner workings of the lock clicked softly and she gently pushed the door open. She stared around and slid the key into her jeans pocket again. It was a bit dusty... Well, okay; very dusty. She hadn't done anything since that night. Nikki couldn't even talk, let alone get out of bed to clean the house. Even especially after attempting a human transmutation...

Maes shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced around a little as well. "So then... Where's your room.."

Nikki blinked. "Oh..." She walked over to the staircase. "It's up here.." As she jogged up the stairs, she heard Hughes follow her. It was easy for her to replace his footsteps with the sound of Nina's less heavy, and more childish ones. For a moment, she almost felt like looking back, grinning and saying; 'Hah! You're so slow, Nina! C'mon. Try and get me!' However, Nikki had gotten used to her little sister not being with her all the time anymore... And it hurt like hell admitting that she wouldn't see her again.

Quietly, she pushed open the door to her bedroom. A bed, (which was perhaps the only thing besides the bureau that wasn't dust-covered) clad in a deep purple comforter, and light purple, satin sheets and pillowcases, lit the room up completely. Her room was definitely different from the other rooms... Well, not including the other bedrooms, all of which were personalized to the previous owner's liking.

Maes glanced around slowly and smiled at the girl's interests in different things; art, reading, studies. Most of the school text books were strewn over her desk, along with half-finished homeworks, completed essays and papers with nothing but a header on them. Carefully, Maes picked up a couple of the books, examining the titles on the bindings; Geometry 1, Chemistry, Sociology. This girl, who wasn't even in highschool yet, was probably smarter than a majority of the people in the military.

He stared at her as she paced back and forth, packing her clothes into a suitcase. Frowning gently, he placed the books back on the table and picked up a few of the loose pieces of paper. Her vocabulary was intense... He couldn't even understand half of what she was saying, even though she was much younger than himself. Oh boy, if anyone could master alchemy in under 48 hours, he was positive that Nikki could. It was very clear to Maes that she had inherited her father's brain, though he didn't dare mention this. She was such a sweet girl and, after what her father did, comparing her to him may just be her trigger.

The sound of a zipper closing snapped Maes back to reality and he set the papers down on the desk once again. Nikki slid the suitcase off the bed and almost fell over onto the floor from the weight. Luckily, Hughes helped her to balance once again and he took the bag from her. Laughing a bit, he slung it over one shoulder. "How'd you manage to fit all of this in here, huh?" He laughed, walking from the room. Nikki certainly knew the difference between a real question and a rhetorical question; that had been a rhetorical one.

Smiling a bit, she watched him turn down the hall, however, she didn't follow. not just yet. Nikki frowned softly and wandered over to the desk. She had heard Hughes looking through her school work, though it didn't bother her. In an almost jaded way, she pulled open a desk drawer and vigilantly removed a small, black velvet box. Inside the box was a locket. Nikki stared at it for a minute before; "Nikki, you alright up there!"

She jumped softly and then nodded, still gazing at the locket with it's golden chain and delicate outward carvings and designs. "Yeah. Sorry Mr. Hughes." As she spoke, Nikki turned her focus away from the necklace and looked out the door, sliding the piece of jewelry into her palm. "I'll be right there!"

**In front of the home of Maes Hughes**

Maes laughed a little. "Go ahead, knock." He grinned.

Nikki looked at him and flushed a bit as she raised her fist, knocking lightly on the front door to his home. She drew her hand back as the door opened. A beautiful woman wearing a white dress and a powder blue apron stood in the doorway. Blonde locks fell into her bright aqua eyes as the rest of her somewhat short hair blew in a light and merry springtime wind. Her stomach was large; it didn't suit her at all. For a moment, Nikki wondered why she was in such a state...

It hit her instantly like a ton of bricks and she held back a laugh by biting the inside of her lip; this was Maes's wife and, she was pregnant... Quite pregnant.

Proudly, Maes set down Nikki's suitcase and strutted over to his wife, kissing her forehead and gently rubbing her stomach. He turned and looked at Nikki. "This is my wife; Glacia... Glacia, this is Nikki."

Glacia smiled sweetly, her pink lip-glossed lips shimmering in the sunlight. "Hello, Nikki. It's very nice to meet you."

For an instant, Nikki could have sworn she felt astab of jealousy, but it subsided quickly and she returned the smile. "It's nice to meet you, too.."

Maes smiled. "Glacia, I've invited Nikki to stay for a late lunch-" He chuckled slightly. "if you don't mind, that is."

"Oh, of course not, Maes. She seems like a very nice girl." Glacia smiled at Nikki again. Her eye caught the suitcase and she blinked. "But... Why does she have a suitcase, dear?"

Maes blinked several times. "Oh, aheheh... Well you see Glace, Nikki is going to be staying at the dorms at HQ... She um... Doesn't have any family."

Glacia gasped. "Then you're... Nikki Tucker, right?" A hand covered her mouth gently and she backhanded Hughes on the arm.

He jumped and rubbed it softly. "Ow...Glaciaaaa..." he whined.

"Maes, what were you thinking? Having her drag her things here and then just..." She inhaled deeply "...Sending her back to the dorms?" Glacia's sweet smile returned as she looked at Nikki. "Why doesn't she stay here with us? We have a guest room."

Nikki's heart did a back flip and, unable to contain herself, she grinned. Maes and Glacia both smiled at her childish expression and he nodded. "Alright, then... I'll tell Mustang tomorrow morning..." Maes picked up Nikki's suitcase and carried it inside.

Glacia watched her husband, laying a hand momentarily on his shoulder as he passed. She then turned to look at Nikki again and cocked her head a little, smiling ever more sweetly. "...Welcome to the family, Nikki."

Family... She loved that word so much... It was... A salvation for her... And this was the nicest family she could be living with, or be considered a part of. This was what she had always wanted...


	4. IV: New Life

**A/N: w00t! Fourth chapter up and all... Done XD. Anyway... This is the newest chapter in meh story. I'm so happy I even got this far. I never thought that I would have the discipline to do a story like this, but apparently I do. Heh. Go figure with my short attention span >>... Anyway... Here it is!**

Nikki drew back her ingrown bangs and held them against the back of her head by pinching them in between two fingers. With her opposite hand, she removed a clip from her mouth and opened it. She secured her bangs with the clip on the back of her head and shook loose wisps of hair from her face.

A smile formed on her lips as she heard Maes laugh downstairs. With a relieved sigh, she held her arms out on each side of her and fell backwards onto her bed in her new room at the Hughes's home. This was great. Finally she would have a stable family... Or... People who _seemed_ like her family. It was what she had always wanted. Well... Sort of.

Hey, anything's better than nothing, and she really liked Maes and Glacia. They were kind to her, despite her mistake and her past. Most would coddle over her for what happened to her father and sister; not to mention whatever had become of her mother and the rest of her family.

"Nikki!"

Sitting up, she adjusted the glasses set in front of her bright purple eyes. She stood and walked over to the door, pulling it open.

"Nikki, you have guests!" chimed Glacia.

Nikki tilted her head and walked out into the hallway as she heard Glacia shuffle back into the kitchen to make dinner. She walked down the stairs and glanced around. Stepping into the dining room, she glanced at Maes and Roy Mustang who were now talking happily, as most friends do, over two mugs of coffee.

Maes blinked and smiled softly, turning his head from Mustang and grinning. He pointed towards the kitchen. "They're waiting for you right in there."

She smiled softly in return and nodded towards the two of them before hurrying into the kitchen. She looked at two people sitting at the table... Well one, anyway. The other was simply a giant suit of armour. The armour glanced up and titled it's head. A cheerful, boyish voice from inside spoke; "Hi, Nikki! Long time, no see!"

Edward Elric turned, his blonde braid sliding over his red jacket, clarifying the black crest on the back; a cross with pointed ends that had a snake entwined around it, and a crown with wings hovering above the top point. Edward grinned and raised a hand, waving to her. "Hey."

Nikki stared at them each in turn for a minute and then, unable to control herself, grinned broadly and squealed, leaping forward and tackling to the floor in a hug.

Glacia and Alphonse laughed and, surprisingly, so did Ed. Nikki pulled back, sitting on her knees before the young State Alchemist, who also sat up, one leg drawn towards his chest while the other lay flat on the ground in front of him.

Maes and Roy smiled at them and then turned back at each other. Hughes sighed gently as he lightly spun the cup of coffee in a circle on the table. "So... They're not going to be told, then?"

Roy shook his head slowly as he sipped his own coffee. "I think it would be best if we just keep it quiet for now. She's already been through enough and knowing the Elrics, they'll probably jump on her for doing something like that."

"I see..." Maes soon nodded in comprehension and removed his glasses, cleaning the lenses off on the corner of his shirt. He blinked as Roy stood up and put his glasses back on his face.

"Well, it's been great talking to you, Hughes. Unfortunately, I've got to get back to the office." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, pulling two white gloves out of his uniform pocket.

Maes grinned and stood up as Roy slid the gloves on. "Alright then... I'll be in tomorrow for sure."

Roy nodded. "I'll hold you to that one Hughes." The two walked towards the door and Mustang frowned, looking back at his friend. He held up his index finger. "...Remember... Not a word to them."

Raising his hands in front of himself somewhat defensively, Maes waved them forward, smiling. "Alright, alright, I promise."

Smirking a bit, the Colonel opened the door and waved, a hand in his pocket. "See you tomorrow."

As Maes closed the door with a heavy sigh, he turned as Nikki called his name. She stood in the doorway of the main hall of his home and the living room. "Mr. Hughes! It's your wife!"

Maes blinked and stared at her carefully. "what's wrong with Glacia!" He followed Nikki into the kitchen where Ed and Al were crouched on either side of Glacia.

Running up to her, Hughes rested a hand on her shoulder. "What's the matter, hun?"

Glacia winced and gripped her apron. She looked up at him, her face covered in a thin layer of sweat. "Eh... M-Maes... Th-... The baby..."

Hughes's eyes widened and he gaped at his wife. "Wh- Wha-? Now!"

She strained a nod and winced, letting out a soft yell as another contraction came and went.

Frantically, Hughes stood up and looked both ways. "Uh... Uh... I'll call the doctor! Yeah! That's it! The doctor!"

Nikki grabbed his shirt as he started towards the phone. "Wait! The doctor is too far. They'll never get here before the baby arrives."

Glacia looked up at them through one open eye. "Uhn... She's right, Maes..." She bit down on her bottom lip. "...You'll have to... Deliver the baby... Here," she said, panting slightly.

Hughes, Ed and Al looked at her horrified and at the same time replied; "WHAT! Deliver it here! I've never delivered a baby before!"

Nikki looked from the boys, to Glacia and then to the floor. "Uhm..." All at once, the house dropped into a silence and all eyes turned to her. "I... I can deliver it..." Hughes and Glacia blinked, looking at her astonished.

Edward walked up behind her slowly. "Uh... Nikki?" He furrowed his brow as she glanced at him. He then held a hand up to the side of his mouth, leaning closer to her and speaking in a hushed tone, asked; "Have you ever delivered a baby before?"

There was silence between the two for a moment and then Nikki hung her head in shame. She heaved a sigh and in an almost crying voice, responded; "...No..."

Ed stared at her and sweatdropped. "what do you mean 'No'!"

"Well... I sort of read a book on home birthing once..."

"Sort of!"

Nikki frowned and then turned, sharply smacking him in the back of the head. "Shut up and work with me, here!"

Ed hissed and rubbed the back of his head. "Fine..." he muttered. "What do you want me to do?"

Nikki put on an apron draped over a kitchen chair. "Go and get a tub of hot water." As Ed saluted her and ran off, Nikki looked at Maes. "Mr. Hughes, you should call the doctor so he can check on the baby afterwards..." Maes nodded frantically and yelled something, though Nikki couldn't understand what, as he ran to the phone.

Alphonse approached Nikki. "Uhm... Nikki?" Nikki turned to him as she pulled the apron string tightly behind her. "...What can I do?"

She blinked and then twisted her hair, pressing it against the back of her head. She held it in place with her hair clip. "Can you help Glacia into the living room? Lean her against the couch..."

Al nodded obediently and walked over to Glacia. He took her forearm gently in one hand and gently lifted her up off of the floor. Glacia was gripping her apron and dress tightly, gritting her teeth. He looked down at her. "Don't worry, Glacia... Nikki will take care of you." From the tone of his voice, it was easy to tell that had he not been uncased in an emotionless suit of armour, he would have been smiling.

At this reassurance, Glacia smiled half-heartedly, a thin layer of sweat shimmering on her forehead. The two only stopped looking at one another as Glacia screamed from another contraction. This brought Nikki scrambling into the room, Edward behind her, tipping the tub of water this way and that, trying not to spill any as it rocked back and forth from the pace at which he was running.

Nikki slid on her knees across the floor beside Glacia. She rested a hand on her back and wrinkled her nose a bit as her glasses slid down her face. Loose pieces of hair fell into her eyes as she quickly turned her head. "Edward... I need towels?"

He blinked as he set the tub of water down with a small _clunk_. "Huh? How many?"

Nikki shook her head and waved a hand. "It doesn't matter. Just go get some!"

Ed nodded frantically and turned. He slipped on a small puddle of water that had plopped out onto the floor from the tub and frantically slid his hands across the floor as he clumsily made it out the door of the living room and onto his feet.

Nikki sighed and then looked back at Glacia who was breathing deeply and quickly. She frowned slowly and then looked up at Al. "Alphonse... Why don't you go and help Edward, huh?"

He nodded obediently and placed one hand on a bended knee, pushing himself off the floor. "Alright." He jogged into the bathroom to join his brother, his armour clanging and pounding with each step. With a small sigh, Nikki looked back down at Glacia who now had another small smile playing on her pale, clammy face.

"I'm... So lucky... That you're here..." she said breathlessly.

Nikki blinked and looked a bit taken aback. "Wha-? Why?"

"Heheh... For a girl so young, you sure take charge of men pretty well... They like you... They listen to you... They trust you, and your ability to do things." Glacia looked up at her and laughed weakly. "You must be that special kind of person, huh?"

Nikki stared at her for a long while before the corners of her lips twitched upward into a small, weak smile. "Yeah... I guess I am..."

With all her heart, Nikki wished that Glacia hadn't said what she had said. Nikki had never delivered a baby before. She never really _read_ a book about it either. She knew what was somehow known to everyone about home birthing and yet everyone thought that she actually knew what the hell was going on. In truth, Nikki was just as frantic on the inside as Ed, Al, and Maes were on the outside. It had become second nature to not let her emotions effect her actions or line of thinking... It was Nina that had made her like that... Y'know... That whole... 'Big sister' thing.

Glacia let out a painful scream that made Ed and Al throw the towels they were holding up in the air and scream in return. Nikki jumped and looked over at them raising an eyebrow as they hurriedly ran about the room, recollecting the towels and avoiding Maes who had slid across the floor and stopped in the doorway, looking as frantic as... Well... As frantic as an expecting father.

"What's the matter!" He stared around wide-eyed, looking from Ed, to Al, to Nikki and Glacia and then back to the boys again. When this happened, the boy started at once;

"We're trying hard but-"

"We couldn't find the towels! Who hides towels behind the bathtub!"

"-everything's so scary. We've never delivered a baby before!"

"And that STUPID rug! What kind of military man as a fuzzy rug in front of the shower, huh? I almost broke my neck!"

"Now, now brother... You didn't even fa-"

"I hate this!"

Maes finally broke into the conversation. "You hate it! My wife is dying!"

"What! She's just having a baby!"

"Aren't you listening to her screaming, beansprout!"

"BEANSPROUT! DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME SMALL!"

Nikki and Glacia stared at them with open mouths and curious eyes. While Al was restraining Ed from tackling Hughes to the ground, Nikki stood up, clenched her fists and inhaled deeply. "QUIET!"

Almost immediately, the noise died down and everything went silent; even the busy street outside. Ed, Al, Maes, and Glacia stared up at her and blinked slowly, wide-eyed and almost frightened. As she passed a relieved sigh through her lips, she brushed the wisps of hair from her face. "...Thank you..."

Everyone continued to stare at her and she put her hands on her hips. "I don't think you'll want to be in here for this so... Maybe you three should wait outside. Her contractions have almost no time left between them so the baby should be here any minute."

Maes, Ed and Al went ghost white and instantly scrambled from the room, closing the door behind them.

Sighing deeply, Nikki turned and knelt back down in front of Glacia. She carefully laid the towels around her and then sat there for a moment. Her eyes widened and seemed almost frantic when water rushed out onto the towels placed about the floor. Glancing around, Nikki pulled the tub of water closer to them both and took a spare towel from the couch. She slung it over her shoulder and pushed Glacia's dress up, past her knees. Inhaling, Nikki swallowed hard.

Five minutes later, Nikki emerged from the living room, her face pale and as soaked with sweat as Glacia's had been. Ed and Al, who had been sitting at the kitchen table with Hughes looking completely petrified, rushed over to her.

Ed blinked. "Nikki, is she alright? Is the baby okay? ...Um... Are _you_ alright?" He quirked an eyebrow slowly, catching the slight green colour on Nikki's face.

"Um... E-everything's fine... The baby's clean and... And healthy and... Um... Yeah... Glacia's doing fine..."

Tilting his head, Alphonse leaned down a bit. "But... what about you?"

"I just need a glass of cold water..." She shook her head and slowly stumbled over to the sink.

Maes looked at her as he stood and then walked into the living room where Glacia was sitting on the floor, worn out and tired. In her arms was a small bundle; a baby girl.

Ed and Al peered in and smiled as the baby reached up and grasped one of Hughes's fingers in her own tiny hand. Alphonse continued to look in on the new edition to the Hughes family before walking in to join them. Edward, however, looked back over at Nikki and frowned slightly.

Nikki was leaning against the cool metal sink, her arms folded and a glass of water dangling lazily from one hand. The glass was slipping from her fingers slowly. she blinked and gasped a little as the pressure between her fingers and the surface of the glass disappeared.

Before the crash of the cup against the sink interrupted the moment of celebrating a new life in the room next door, Edward caught the cup in the palm of his hand, still holding it upright, not a drop of liquid wasted. Nikki blinked and looked over at him. She smiled and moped her forehead gently with a spare towel draped over her shoulder.

"Thanks," she said as she gently took the cup and consumed the rest of the water. As she pulled the cup from her lips, she released a sigh of relief.

"...You're pretty sneaky y'know." Ed grinned.

Nikki blinked and looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. "...What're you talking about?"

"All that in there. You acted like ya knew it all. But I knew better. You were just as crazy inside as we were but you kept it all in. Tsk tsk." He waved a finger in front of her, still grinning.

Smiling softly, she stared in at the bottom of the empty cup. "...So... You got that, huh?"

"Yup." Ed leaned backwards against the counter, his elbows resting on the surface. He turned his fingers in towards his palm slightly and stared at them, running his thumb along the tips as if examining his nails through his gloves, a conceited yet joking smile on his fist. "Yup, yup..." he said again. "Nothin' gets by Edward Elric," he stated proudly.

Nikki blinked slowly and then laughed. She tossed her head, moving the stray wisps of hair from her face. "I guess not."

A serious look then appeared on Edward's face as he turned to her, his right arm still resting on the counter as his left hand clung to his automail wrist. "Listen... It's not healthy to keep things locked up like that. I know that I do it a lot but... It's... Well... It's part of my job as a State Alchemist..."

"So... I have to be a 'dog of the military' to keep emotions to myself?" Nikki grinned, teasing him.

Frowning, Edward glanced off to the side and up, pouting. "No..." he whined. "Just... Don't do it, 'kay? I don't like it when you do that..." His voice softened and grew to almost a whisper as he completed his sentence.

Nikki blinked slowly, her smile fading. "...But if I let on how frantic I am..." she laughed a bit. "...There'd be no hope for me. Besides... I have to lead you on to keep you from panicking, don't I?"

Edward grinned and then laughed, standing up straight and putting his hands in the pockets of his black pants. "Yeah, I guess that's true." He tilted his head to the side a bit and pulled on hand from his pocket, lifting it up and cupping her chin lightly. "I just worry about you, that's all. I would've been here the last few months but... Mustang needed some things taken care of..."

Frowning slightly, Nikki wrapped a hand around the one he held beneath her chin. "I know... S'alright... It's fine. _I'm_ fine..."

Edward grinned and pulled his hand from under her chin. He pushed it up against the palm of her hands and spread his fingers, lacing them between hers, still grinning. "Good."

Alphonse jogged into the kitchen, his arms held out straight and set a downward angle. "You hafta come see the baby! She's beautiful!"

Ed and Nikki glanced back at Alphonse. The younger Elric seemed not to notice their entwined fingers hovering in the air, for he turned and jogged back into the living room. As he disappeared into the doorway, they looked at one another and smiled before allowing their fingers to slide out of each other and let their hands drop to their sides. Nikki shed the apron she was wearing and followed Ed into the den.

Glacia was smiling weakly, looking at Alphonse as he rocked the small baby back and forth in his arms momentarily before passing it to Maes with extreme care. Maes looked completely love struck as he closed his eyes and leaned down towards his new baby girl's face, shaking his head back and forth while making soft cooing noises.

Both Nikki and Ed suppressed laughs before approaching the group. Ed put his hands on his knees and stared down at the bundle, blinking. "Wow... That's so... Awesome," he said idly, in a sort of dazed wonderment.

Alphonse tilted his head. " 'Awesome'? How can you call something so wonderful... 'Awesome'?"

"Well... I've never seen a newborn baby before..."

Nikki giggled and then crouched down, her hands resting on her thighs as she gently dropped to her knees. Maes sat up on his own as he handed the baby to Glacia before standing up. Glacia hugged the baby gently to her chest and then looked up at Nikki, extending the bundle in her arms to her.

Looking a bit taken aback for a moment, Nikki blinked and then gently slid her hands beneath the baby's head and lower back. She pulled her forward gently and cradled it in her arms. Edward looked over at her fondly and smiled softly, kneeling down behind her and resting his chin on her shoulder. He stared down at the slightly rounded, innocent face of the new edition to the Hughes family.

"...She's so beautiful..." Nikki muttered softly. Ed nodded against her shoulder gently. Blinking slowly, Nikki half glanced at Maes and Glacia. "...So," she looked down at the baby in her arms again. "What's her name?"

Glacia and Maes looked at each other and then blinked in surprise. They looked at one another for a while before Glacia smiled warmly.

Looking at Nikki, she ignored Maes who was silently questioning what name had been chosen. "...Her name is Elysia."

Ed and Nikki both smiled and looked down at the baby. Nikki's smile was almost as warm and soft and... Motherly as Glacia's was. "...Elysia.." she repeated under her breath. "...That's pretty..."

She raised Elysia a bit and slowly extended her arms to Glacia. As Glacia proceeded to take her back, Elysia whined softly, though didn't cry, and reached out to Nikki.

Everyone in the room eyed the small child curiously. Ed frowned and then slowly looked at Nikki. He blinked and released a small gasp. He stared at her eyes which, even though the expression she wore was that of surprise, were filled with a deep and complicated pain. Without even thinking, Ed could tell what the core of the problem was; Nina. Nina and her father... And her mother.

Nikki had just brought a child into the world; into this amazing family that she seemed to love just as much as she would her own. Ed could also see that she knew she was _not_ a part of this family, despite what might have been said. Nikki was completely and utterly alone in her mind. With her little sister's death, her whole world had been completely shattered in a matter of minutes and what was worse, she never even got to say goodbye. He knew, however, that even though that _seemed_ like the worst thing, it wasn't the worst thing. Edward knew that Nikki blamed herself, and always would blame herself for not being there when her father did that to Nina.

It did not take a genius to understand why Nikki had all this emotion swirled up in her eyes. Elysia was like a new beginning for her. It was like... A new little sister. She had been taken in by this family and was accepted as not only a guest, but as a new edition to their household... Just like this baby.

As he looked at Elysia again, who was now refusing to surrender one of Nikki's fingers, it struck him that somehow this young girl, who didn't even have the ability to save herself should something horrible occur, knew Nikki needed her. she knew that Nikki needed a purpose and that she would, perhaps be that purpose. Elysia Hughes would be the younger sister Nikki lost... She would never replace Nina in Nikki's heart, but she would give Nikki something to look forward to. During their stay at Tucker's house, Edward and Alphonse alike had seen how much effort Nikki put into being the best older sibling she could be. She never let anything bad happen to Nina and had even said that she would have done what Edward had for Alphonse in a heartbeat. In a heartbeat; no second thoughts whatsoever.

Edward's lips twitched upward into a small smile and he looked at Nikki. She had figured out that she had a purpose again, too. He could tell by the newly arrived glitter in her eyes, a happiness and passion for something that she had not let out for a long time. As Nikki carefully played with the tiny hand of Elysia, she smiled and her eyes softened as her head fell to the side slightly. Maybe... For once since everything crashed down... Just maybe... Things would be okay...

**A/N: Well, that's it, guys! I hope you all liked it. I need some reviews, too so go ahead. Be brutally honest. I wanna improve my writing skills as much as I possibly can. I'm kinda planning to go to college for either writing or art so... BAH! Rammbling. Gr! Sorry!... Thanks for reading!**


	5. V: Last Supper

**4 months after the birth of Elysia & Nikki's 12th birthday**

Nikki laughed softly as she watched Breda crawl on top of a filing cabinet to escape the wrath of Black Hayate, who had been pawing at his leg affectionately. The pup yipped and, when Heymans simply shouted and clung to the chest of his uniform, he whimpered and turned, trotting back towards Nikki and Caine.

Leaning down, Nikki picked the dog up from under his two front legs. She set him on her lap and began to calmly stroke his head. Caine smiled and then leaned down to almost the dog's eye level. He raised his hand and Nikki's receded to the pup's back. Caine scratched behind the dog's ears and his tail whipped back and forth happily, his small pink tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Jean and Vato grinned and then looked over at each other, laughing. Riza was sitting at one of the desks, her eyes half-closed as she scanned the pages of a novel. She idly took small bites from a sandwich wrapped in plastic wrap which now lay in a small ball on the corner of the table.

All eyes looked upward as the door to the office opened. Edward and Alphonse walked in, each carrying a brown paper bag with Chinese characters on it. Ed grinned as Nikki smiled over at him. She blinked as the dog hopped from her lap and ran over to them, jumping up on Ed's leg to see what it was that they had brought.

"Well, you all better be prepared to pay us back." Edward's grin turned a bit more sly and he set the bag down on an empty table. Alphonse did the same.

Jean frowned, the cigarette in his mouth hanging at a downward angle as if drooping with his expression. "Aw, come on FullMetal. That's your food too. Besides... We hardly get paid by that Colonel of ours as it is. You want us to pay back every penny?"

Edward blinked and exchanged looks with his younger brother. He grinned, held up his hands in front of him and laughed. "Nah. M'just kiddin'. It's all on us!"

Vato, Jean, Caine and Heymans (who had forgotten his fear of the dog at the sight of food) rushed over to the table, digging through the bags looking for their retrieved lunches. Ed pushed past the violent, hungry officers and walked over to Nikki, holding a couple of white takeout containers in his right hand, two sets of chopsticks in the other.

Grinning foolishly, Edward bowed a little and extended one of the containers and a pair of chopsticks. "M'lady."

Nikki blinked at him and then laughed, covering her mouth a bit before taking the food and chopsticks. "Thank you."

"Heheh... Hey, no problem." Ed pulled a chair out from behind one of the desks and set it down in front of her. He sat down and popped open the box of food. Grinning down at it, he rubbed his hands together and peeled the chopsticks apart. "Alright!"

For a moment, Nikki stared at him in bewilderment as he began to shovel white rice into his mouth, not even bothering to squeeze it in between the chopsticks. She bit her bottom lip and smiled a little before quietly taking a spring roll from her own box and biting off a small portion of it.

Edward blinked slowly and then looked up at Nikki as she bit into the spring roll again. "...So..." He set the box of rice on his lap as Nikki looked up at him. "How's Elysia?"

Nikki smiled and then nodded. "She's doing fine." Her smile turned to a slightly frown. "Actually, I'm more worried about Mr. Hughes."

"Hrmf? Hufes? Why?" Edward asked through another mouthful of rice.

"Well... Elysia hasn't even learned to speak yet and he's already going on about her like she's the greatest thing ever. I mean... I know how he must feel, having a new baby and all... But he's standing on the line between insanity and sanity... And he's almost on the insane side..."

Ed swallowed and laughed. "Yeah, but that's Hughes for you. Nice and insane."

Caine walked over to them and took his seat beside Nikki. He smiled. "Hey, Edward."

Ed gave a faint smile towards Caine. "Hi, Fuery."

Nikki blinked and lowered her eyebrows at the faint coldness in Edwards tone. Caine must not have noticed it, for he acted as if Edward had given him the cheeriest 'hello' in the world. She glanced sideways at Caine and then looked back at Edward. The space between his eyebrows was wrinkled and, though for Edward it would normally be wrinkled in thought, now it seemed to be wrinkled in a sort of jealousy. This went unnoticed, however, since Edward had taken to staring straight down at the inside of the box of rice.

**4 pm**

Nikki had her arms pressed tight up against her sides, attempting to shun the chill of the surprisingly cold spring day. She tapped her thighs from inside her pockets and blinked as a red mass was extended in front of her. She glanced over at Edward, who was grinning beside her. He and Alphonse had offered to walk Nikki home.

With a small smile, Nikki took the red coat from Edward and slid her arms through the sleeves. Edward was almost stunned to find that the jacket didn't even fit her, but not in the sense that it was too small. On the contrary, it was too big. Alphonse noticed this too and tilted his head to one side slightly.

Ed held back, allowing Nikki to walk ahead of him as he walked alongside Alphonse. He looked down at Edward. "Big brother?"

Ed blinked, still watching Nikki. "Yeah, Al?"

"...What was wrong with you? You know... During lunch with the officers?"

Ed frowned and clenched his fists, resting the backs of his hands on his waist. He turned his head away from Al and stared impatiently towards the sky. He sighed irritably. "Argh... Nothing, Al."

"But... You seemed angry at Caine... You and him always got along fine..."

"I said it's nothing!"

Alphonse's voice changed into a teasing tone as he half-sang; "Are you jealo-o-u-s?"

Edward's face turned bright red and he whipped his head around to glare up at his brother. "No! I just think he's too old for her! I mean... You saw the way he was acting!"

A sweatdrop rolled down the back of Alphonse's helmet. "...But brother, he's always nice like that.."

"Tch.." Edward clicked his tongue, "Whatever.."

It didn't take much longer to get from there to Hughes' house. However, for Ed, it was a long walk, for thoughts swarmed about his head constantly. Jealous? No. That was impossible. He _couldn't _be jealous. I mean, it was Nikki. She was his friend. A good friend; the sister he never had. ...Well... Maybe she was more than a sister... Maybe she was even something completely different.

"YO, ED!"

Ed jumped, his thoughts wiped from his mind as he stared, scared to death, into the face of Maes Hughes. Obviously, they had arrived at the house. "H-...Hey..." Ed choked.

Nikki smiled, her hands folded behind her back as she looked around Hughes at Edward. "Do you want to come in for dinner?"

Ed blinked slowly and then smiled. "Sure."

Inside the house, the dining room table had been set extremely close to perfection. There were five plates set up on the table; Glacia was probably expecting Alphonse to join in the meal as well. On those plates were helpings of everything from mashed potatoes, to vegetables, to steak. Beside the plates of food were two bowls; one filled with a creamy soup, the other applesauce.

Ed's mouth watered as he stared at the buffet which was being presented to him. He and Al set themselves down on one side of the table, while Nikki and Glacia sat on the other, Hughes at the head. Ed could contain himself no longer. Once everyone had sat down, he dug into the meal, though with as many manners he could in such a situation. He hadn't had a good home-cooked meal in who knows how long.

Dinner seemed to last forever. Afterwards though, everyone went into the living room, even the young baby Elysia. Time had passed as though it didn't exist. The sun had sunken behind the houses, leaving behind a brilliant orange, purple and pink sky. Edward was talking animatedly with Maes while Nikki held Elysia by her under arms on her lap. She bounced her knee ever so slightly, causing the young girl to break into a fit of giggles which, in return, caused Nikki, Glacia and Alphonse to laugh.

**10:00 **

The clock on the mantel chimed 10:00 and Edward and Alphonse stood up, their backs to the now blazing fire.

"Well..." Edward said through a sigh. "I think we should get going... We gotta go and find ourselves a place to stay."

Glacia, Maes and Nikki looked at one another, the same idea seeming to pass through their heads. They looked up at the Elric brothers and smiled. This made Ed think for a moment and in response, he tilted his head and quirked an eyebrow.

Hughes stood up and put his hands on his waist. "You can stay here!"

Glacia nodded in agreement from on the couch beside Hughes. "Mhmm... We'd be happy to have you, boys."

Edward blinked and grinned. "Ah, well sure! We'd love to stay, then! How can we possibly say no?" Well, honestly, in any other scenario, Edward probably would have refused, but he had something he had to tell Nikki, and he didn't want to pass up the opportunity until who knows when.

Hughes and Glacia smiled wider. "It's settled then!" Hughes exclaimed. "The two of you will have to sleep down here though. I'm afraid we don't have another guest room."

Edward and Alphonse shook their heads. "Nah, no problem. It doesn't bother us. At least we have _somewhere_ to stay." Edward smiled and then glanced at Nikki, who in return, smiled back at him.

**Midnight**

Edward sighed from his spot in front of the fireplace. He was laying on his back with his hands behind his head, one leg draped over the other. His hair had been taken out of it's usual braid and lay in a mass of gold waves on the floor around him. His black jacket and shirt, gloves and boots were laying in a neat pile on the couch. Nikki _had _offered to return his jacket but he said he had an extra one; he didn't mind her keeping it. Actually, he wanted her to do so.

His foot bounced rhythmically with the ticking of the clock and the crackling and popping of the fire. There was nothing worse than being wide awake with no one to talk to. Alphonse had gone out for a walk. He did that a lot at night, seeing as how he didn't sleep. Besides, during the night was usually when Ed did all his thinking and he needed time to himself for that.

Ed blinked and glanced over towards where the kitchen was as he heard the creaking of the stairs. He quirked an eyebrow and felt his heart bang violently against his ribs as Nikki stumbled into view. He sat up, the blanket that had been laying over his chest slid down to his waist. Nikki rubbed the back of her head and looked at him.

Nikki's cheeks tinged red, though the light from the fire made it hard to differentiate from the orange and red shades it cast upon her face. She didn't expect him to look so... Well... Like that. It was almost... Too perfect, how he looked right now. His hair fell down to the middle of his back and his bangs hung in his honey-coloured eyes, which had flames from the fire dancing in them contently. His automail arm was shining against the light from the fire and set a reflection on the side of the mantel. His normally white skin had tinted orange-ish red and seemed to make his outline hazy. It was odd seeing him like this... He just looked so... So...

"...Something wrong?" Ed blinked and quirked an eyebrow.

Nikki jumped a bit, startled by his sudden speech and then shook her head. "No."

He smiled and stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "I'm glad you're here. I wanna talk to you..."

"About what..?" Nikki asked distantly as she walked farther into the room, her eyes scanning his surprisingly muscular build.

"Well..." Ed blinked and then shook his head, sitting with his legs folded in front of the fire. "Come here."

Doing as she was told, Nikki walked over to him and sat face-to-face with him. "So..?"

"Listen... Mustang is sending me off for a while... To do a couple of things for the state."

Nikki blinked. "...Where?"

Ed frowned and glanced at the logs in the fireplace. "...Everywhere... Xenotime, Liore... The whole country..."

Nikki's heart fell to her stomach. "And... When will you be back?"

Ed frowned a little. "...I'm not sure... But... It'll probably be a while... Trust me... It's not my idea of a vacation."

"I see..." Nikki stared at the floor, drawing small circles on it with her finger tip.

"Hey..." Ed tilted his head and looked at her, picking up her chin with his left hand. "...I'll come back..." He smiled.

Nikki continued to frown and bit the side of her cheek. "...Can I go with you..?"

"...I... Don't think so... Besides... You have to stay here and be an awesome big sister for Elysia." He grinned.

Nikki looked at him slowly and then smiled weakly. Edward grinned back at her. As he did so, her smile faded and she chewed the corner of her lip. "...I'll miss you..."

Frowning, Ed nodded and the corners of his lips twitched upward. "Yeah... I know..." He stared at her. "...I'll miss you, too..."

Nikki smiled and wrapped her hand around his wrist, pulling his hand away from her chin. Edward blinked and raised an eyebrow a little as she reached up and took his wrist in her hand. A blush crept up into Nikki's cheeks as she looked at Ed's hand. He watched her quietly, blinking slowly. He blushed himself as Nikki pressed the tip of his ring finder to her lips. She kissed his fingertips one by one and then looked up at him shyly, blushing still.

Ed swallowed, his own blush growing bright to match Nikki's as he looked at her. Nikki sighed softly and moved his hand towards him, letting it fall to the floor gently.

"I-... I should go.." Nikki stood up and blinked. She glanced sideways at Ed as he grabbed her hand gently.

He shook his head. "...No... Don't go... Not yet. Stay. Please?" He stared at her, his honey-coloured eyes filled with childish plea. Smiling, Nikki slowly sat back down in front of him.

Ed tugged lightly on her wrist and softly pulled her over to him. A small giggle escaped Nikki as she fell over a bit and attempted to suppress a blush as Ed pulled her up against him, her back against his chest.

Sighing, Ed wrapped his arms contently around Nikki's shoulders, burying his face into the crook of her neck. Nikki blinked slowly and then leaned her head up against Edward's shoulder. Sure, he was short ("_DON'T CALL ME SMALL!"_) ...But he was still taller than Nikki... And he was taller than her by just the right amount; so that when she leaned back on him, she was propped up at a comfortable angle without even shifting.

"..Edward..?" Nikki placed her right hand on the side of his face, stroking his cheek with her fingertips softly.

He let out a small moan, though Nikki knew that 'what?' had just been muffled by his mouth pressed against her.

"...It seems like... there's something else..." She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

Ed lifted his head and rested his chin on her shoulder, staring forward. The space between his eyebrows wrinkled and he shut his eyes, sighing a little. "...Yeah. There is."

She blinked and turned her head, looking at him. "..What is it?"

Ed pulled his automail arm from her neck and rubbed the back of his head, hair sliding about his back, muscles rippling as he moved. "...Well..." He looked up. "...It's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now..."

Nikki frowned a little. "_What_?"

Looking over at her, Ed lifted his head off of her shoulder and reached his left hand down a bit to grab hers. He pulled it up and rubbed the back of it softly with his fingers. They stared at each other for a moment before Edward muttered something barely audible, even though the crackling of the fire was the only sound in the room, other than the _tick-tock_ of the clock on the mantle.

Nikki's cheeks were bright red and flaming. She stared at Ed unblinkingly for a long time and, he stared back. Both of their eyes softened and a blush was now visible on both of their faces once more. Slowly, the two of them tilted their heads gently to one side or the other. Closing their eyes, they pressed their lips together gently.

Ed held the back of Nikki's head and stroked her hair softly, deepening the kiss a little. Nikki placed a hand on his cheek and shifted against him, moving into a better position to face him. The two pulled away from one another and Nikki smiled as Ed kept hold on her bottom lip for just a second before letting it go and smiling himself.

The two rested their foreheads against one another and closed their eyes. Nikki's opened slowly and she pulled her head back. Looking at Ed, she cocked her head a little "...Edward?"

Ed looked at her and blinked. "...Yeah?"

There was silence between them for a moment before Nikki's face went beet-red again and she looked at him shyly. "...I love you too."


	6. VI: Arrival

**A/N: Oh noes! I'm behind on my chapter timing! I'm so sorry! -cries- I have A.D.D. -insert frown here-... -sigh-... Anyway... Considering there were an incredible amounts of pauses while writing this chapter, I think it's alright! Next one will be better, I promise! Enjoy! X3**

**3 years later...**

"Nikki, do it aga-a-ain!" Elysia whined.

Nikki laughed and nodded, fixing the visor on her baseball cap. "alright." She smiled and grabbed Elysia's wrists, picking her up and spinning in a circle.

Elysia laughed. Her short blonde hair, which was done into two ponytails, blew about madly. The skirt of her floral pink summer dress followed suite and her legs dangled in the air at a diagonal angle.

"They're real close, aren't they?" Hughes was leaning against the frame of the back door, arms folded as he gazed out at the two in the yard.

"Mhmm..." Glacia nodded and rested a hand on her cheek. "I don't think Elysia knows that she and Nikki aren't related."

Maes laughed. "I wouldn't doubt it." he smiled and looked at the girls again. "...You know... I should do something."

Glacia blinked and looked at him. "Hm? What do you mean, Maes?"

"Well... I mean Nikki has been here for three years now and she's still not a legal member of the family."

Glacia smiled. "Maes... You're too good to her, you know."

"I know, but... She deserves it." Maes removed his glasses, cleaning the lenses off on the corner of his shirt. "After all she's been through... Of _course_ she deserves it."

Nodding in agreement, Glacia turned and looked towards Nikki and Elysia." You're right."

Nikki smiled as Elysia plopped down on the grass. She sat down as well and put her chin in her hand, resting her elbow on her knee with a faint smile on her face. _Hm... Three years already, huh? That's hard to believe... It seems like so much more than that..._

"Nikki!"

Nikki turned and looked at Maes. Her purple eyes followed a letter which he had pulled from his back pocket and was now waving back and forth in the air. "This came for you!"

A wide grin appeared on Nikki's face. She rubbed Elysia's head as she stood up running over and taking the letter quickly from Maes, not stopping as she ran towards the staircase inside. "Thank you, Mr. Hughes!" she called once upstairs and approaching her room.

Hughes and Glacia blinked and looked at each other. They smiled and laughed a bit as the door closed. Elysia walked over to her parents and clung to Maes' leg. He looked down at her and practically melted from his obsession over her almighty cuteness.

Nikki set the letter on her bed and kneeled down. She flipped back the sheets hanging over the side of the bed and reached underneath, pulling out a large box. Nikki sat cross-legged on the floor in front of it and took the lid off.

Inside the box was red coat, Edward's coat. It was folded in a way that the large black symbol on it was exposed, or at least somewhat so. A faint smile flashed over Nikki's face as she gently lifted the coat up and out of the box. She rested it gently beside her and glanced back into the box.

Under the coat, were hundreds and hundreds of letters, all addressed to Nikki from Edward. Nikki smiled and reached up onto her bed, grabbing the new letter. She then slid her finger underneath the flap of the envelope before turning her finger upward, breaking through the paper. Running her finger through the top of the envelope, Nikki smiled again as she heard Elysia run down the hallway, Hughes chasing after her.

Sighing, Nikki pulled the letter from the envelope and unfolded it. She leaned back against her bed, her chestnut locks falling into her eyes as she bit on her index fingernail gently.

_**Dear Nikki,**_

**_ Boy, three years already, huh? That's hard to believe isn't it? It seems so much longer than that. I'm glad to hear that you're not tired of me writing to you, because I've got something important to tell you this time!  
_****_ We've just heard from Mr. I'm-Such-A-Badass Mustang. He said that we had to go back to Central so that I could renew my State Alchemist license. I don't know when we'll get there, but Alphonse and I are looking forward to seeing you. We can't wait to see Elysia! She's gotten so big!  
_****_Thanks for that picture, by the way. It was really cute. But Al couldn't stop cooing at and swooning over Elysia. It was a little sad and it got kind of annoying.  
_****_ Anyway, Nikki... Hope to see you soon! I miss you a lot._**

_**Love always,  
**__**Edward**_

**_P.S. Al says 'hi', too!_**

Nikki wore a large grin on her face as she folded the letter slowly. Finally. He was coming back. It seemed like forever since she had seen him... And he had missed so much... But then again, he never forgot to write every month... Or on holidays. He was on top of everything, all the time. Sometimes though, Nikki worried. He always seemed to have her on his mind but what about everything he was supposed to be doing for the Military? What if he had gotten hurt because he didn't have a clear head? Oh well. It was Edward. He'd pull through. He always did.

Nikki slid the letter back into the envelope and put into the box with the rest of her collection. She put the lid on and stood up, sliding the box under the bed with her foot. Walking over to the window, she smiled absentmindedly and cocked her head a little. Turning, she looked at the floor and bent over, picking the red coat up. She held the hood of it, allowing it to unfold before sliding into it.

With a small squeal of delight, she plopped onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow, still making small noises of excitement. She couldn't contain herself. Edward meant the world to her. He was her best friend and more. Nikki clutched the pillow, nuzzling against it, her glasses pushing up against her face.

Glacia giggled from Nikki's doorway, causing the girl to look up in a start.

"Good news, I take it?" Glacia smiled.

Nikki gave her a slight nod. "He's coming home-.. Er... I mean... He's coming back." Well.. It was about time Nikki slipped up. True she had lived with the Hughes family for a few years now, but... She never considered it her home. She thought doing something like that was simply... Imposing on their life. Then again... They seemed to like having her around.

Glacia smiled and folded her hands. "Oh, that's wonderful! Do you know when?"

With a shake of her head, Nikki sat up, crossing her legs on the bed. "No. He didn't say... He just said he was coming here to renew his State Alchemist license. "

Blinking some, Glacia put a finger to her chin and thought. "Well... I believe that starts tomorrow... It goes until the end of the week I think."

Nikki grinned once more. "So... He should be here any day now, right?"

Glacia smiled and nodded. "I believe so."

The grin on Nikki's face faded and she blinked. "Oh... Um... Was there something that you wanted?"

Glacia blinked and jumped a bit. "Oh, yes." She slid a hand into the pocket of her powder blue apron and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Would you mind running into town and picking up these things for me?"

Nikki cocked her head and stood up, taking the paper. She unfolded it and shook her head as she read it over. "No, not at all." Looking up at Glacia, she gave her a smile.

Glacia smiled back at her and handed her a small packet of money that was folded in half. "Here you go. That should be enough to get you what's on there."

Nikki took the money and nodded, sliding out of the jacket and setting it on the bed. "Alright." she smiled and ran down the hall and stairs. "I'll be back soon!"

Glacia watched her and smiled. She folded her arms and then brought a hand up to her chin, resting it in her palm. She looked at Ed's jacket on the bed and smiled again.

Nikki stopped and held the piece of paper in her mouth, clutching the money in one hand as she pulled her jeans up further onto her waist. She jumped as she felt the money being tugged out of her hand and turned her head, looking up at Hughes as he slowly flipped through the money, counting it.

"Hmm..." He raised an eyebrow and stroked the stubble on his face gently. "This isn't enough to buy yourself something is it?"

Nikki blinked. "Glacia said that-"

Maes grinned and put an extra amount of money into the packet. He handed it back to her and folded his arms. "Just don't tell Glacia, alright?"

Nikki grinned and nodded. "Thank you." She then turned and walked out of the house, Hughes watching as she walked down the path and onto the sidewalk, heading towards the market.

**Meanwhile, at the Central Train Station...**

Edward Elric grinned, stretching his arms out on either side of him, traveling trunk hanging from one hand. "Ah! It feels so good to be back!"

Alphonse chuckled and took the trunk from Ed, slinging it over his shoulder. "Don't get too excited, brother. You _know_ what happened the last time you got excited."

Edward's arms dropped to his side as he slouched. "Gah... Let it _go_, Al..." He sighed and grinned again, eyes closed as he rested his hands on his hips, a cocky air about him. "This'll be fun. Wait 'til the Colonel hears about everything I've done, huh?"

A sweatdrop rolled down the back of Alphonse's helmet. "_We've_ done," he corrected.

Ed blinked and looked back at Alphonse, rubbing the back of his head. "Heheh, yeah. That's what I meant."

Al shook his head slowly and followed Edward towards the curb, watching the buggies drive by. He looked down at Ed. "Brother, aren't you worried about the exam?"

Ed rested on hand on his waist, cocking his head to one side. With an ever-present grin, he said, "Nah. It'll be a piece of cake!" He snapped his fingers. "I can't wait to show that Flame-jerk a thing or two." He clenched his fists in front of him. "REVENGE!"

Alphonse sweatdropped again, as people had taken to staring at Edward. "Brother, please... You're making a scene..."

Ed sighed and walked across the street, once traffic had passed. Al tagged along behind him. "Y'know, Al... I've got this strange feeling."

Al looked at Ed as they stepped up onto the opposite sidewalk. "About what, Ed?"

Ed reached up scratching his head. "Well.." he let out a sigh. "I'm not sure exactly... I just kinda feel like someone's here..."

When Al's silence grew to puzzlement, Ed continued. "Someone we've met before."

Al stood up straight. "Oh! You mean like... From one of the other cities?"

Ed nodded. "Yeah."

Al laughed. "Well maybe, brother... But let's go and see if Mr. Hughes is home. I can't wait to see Elysia and Nikki!" He shifted the traveling trunk on his shoulder.

Edward grinned and clenched his fists, resting them on his hips before starting down the street. "Yeah! It'll be somethin' seeing them again!" He looked down at the cement, watching his boots swim in and out of his vision. Then, barely audible, he said; "...I can't wait."

**A/N: True, it wasn't what I originally wanted it to turn out like.. But, hey. It came out alright xD. Wait until you see Chapter 7... Between the State Alchemy Exam and some... Familiar faces... Oh boy, will the alchemic light fly! x3**


	7. VII: Happy Trails, Pretty Boy!

**A/N: Oh boy, you guys... I'm so sorry. Highschool is uber time consuming,. I barely had time to get this chapter down on paper. X-X... Anyway, I hope you forgive me. next chapter will be up quicker. I promise! After all, Thanksgiving's coming up, so that's a week-long vacation for yours truely ;D**

As the afternoon sun hung over the Central City marketplace Nikki pushed her way, as politely as possible, through the bustling crowd while carrying a paper bag full of groceries in one arm. This proved to be a difficult feat.

She glanced down at the shopping list and felt a bump on her arm. She looked up some to apologize and shook her hair from her face, her purple eyes darted back down to the list, blinking a bit as she heard the approaching sound of rowdy children, plowing their way straight through the crowd. Nikki looked over her shoulder as the people behind her parted and the children darted towards her.

A soft 'eep' escaped her as a hand grabbed her own, pulling her up onto the curb just in time to avoid the spirited boys.

Nikki sighed and crumpled the shopping list in her hand some, moving wisps of hair from her face once more. She shivered gently as it ran over her cheek, sliding off the arm of her glasses.

"You alright?" asked a rather smooth, male voice. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Nikki shook her head. "Oh, no. I'm fine." She looked up into the silver eyes of 14-year-old Russell Tringham, a smile playing on his face.

Russell was tall... Well, compared to her and Edward, at least. He had golden blonde hair which hung in his left eye and was sort of brushed at an angle so that the rest of his hair hung over his right ear. His attire consisted of an almost pale lavender button-up shirt with a breast pocket on the left side. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up towards his elbows. A pair of black suspenders ran up his chest, hooking round his shoulders and attaching to the back of his black slacks.

"The name's Russell; Russell Tringham." He smiled again, sliding a hand out of his pocket and offering it to her.

Nikki took his hand after tucking the shopping list away in her own pocket. "Nikki Tucker." she replied meekly, and with a half-smile. She was half-shocked by the velvetiness of his voice. After all, he was her age.

Russell nodded and squeezed her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

Nikki's smile grew a bit and she blinked as a younger boy, about twelve or so, shifted and stepped out from behind Russell.

Russell looked at the boy and then smiled, releasing Nikki's hand to clap the rather timid-looking boy on the shoulder. "This is my younger brother, Fletcher."

Fletcher looked up at Nikki, silver eyes sparkling dully. "Hello..."

Nikki smiled at him, holding the groceries in front of her and wrapping her arms around the bag. "Hi."

Fletcher, like his brother, had golden blonde hair, though it was much less tame. It stuck out in every direction, hanging over a forest green band around his forehead, which had two earflaps hanging from it. Attached to these flaps, were two halves of a buckle, though the buckle was undone. He also wore a white t-shirt with a high collar, closed up by three strings. Running from his left shoulder to his right hip was a forest green buckle that held up his lopsided pair of matching green pants.

Fletcher cleared his throat and twisted his fingers shyly. 'It's very nice to meet you.."

Nikki giggled a bit and shifted the groceries in her arms. "It's very nice to meet you too, Fletcher."

Russell blinked. "Here, let me take this..." He pulled his other hand from him pocket as he reached out, taking the bag from her. "Is there any more shopping you need to do? We'll accompany you."

Fletcher nodded in agreement.

Nikki stammered. Too many kind gestures had been thrown at her at once by this... Russell. "Um... Well... I still have to go and pick up allergy medicine..."

Russell nodded. "Alright, then." He smiled. "To the pharmacy." And with that, he headed down the sidewalk.

Nikki blinked slowly and watched, before glancing at Fletcher. He must've felt her eyes on him, for he snuck a glance at her and immediately looked away.

This caused Nikki to giggle. She put her hands on her waist, leaning forward slightly to try and catch his gaze.

"How old are you, Fletcher?"

Fletcher looked up, a bit surprised by her question. "Wha-? Oh... Twelve."

Nikki smiled. "Hm... Twelve, huh?" She giggled and rested a hand lightly on his shoulder. "Come on, hun... If we don't hurry, we'll lose your brother... And my groceries." She winked a bit, her glasses sliding down her nose.

Fletcher nodded and smiled.

Nikki felt his muscles relax just before she took her hand from his shoulder. They both walked down the street after Russell, Fletcher determined to keep pace with Nikki.

**2 hours later...**

A knock echoed through the quiet street as a buggie clicked along the cobblestone road outside Lt. Colonel Hughes' house. There was the sound of a chair screeching across the floor inside over a mix of conversation and, a caution to be careful from Maes.

Outside, the Elric brothers looked at one another, then at the door. Ed blinked and their eyes traveled downward to rest on little Elysia, who was standing on her tiptoes with both hands clutching the doorknob.

Edward grinned and put his fists on his waist. "Well hey there, kiddo! Boy, you sure have grown!"

Elysia cocked her head as Glacia opened the door a little wider. "Oh! It's good to see you boys. Welcome back!" She smiled.

Al inclined ever so slightly and rubbed the back of the helmet. "Well, it's really good to be back Mrs. Hughes."

Ed nodded. "Yeah," he laughed. "You can say that again!"

Glacia smiled. "Please, please... Come right in." She stepped aside, pulling on Elysia's shoulder gently to guide her back as well, leaving room from Ed and Al to walk inside.

The brothers walked into the hallway as Glacia took the traveling trunk from Al, holding it with both hands as she deposited it near the coat rack.

Ed rested his hands on his waist and looked around. He blinked and looked at Elysia as she ran past towards the back door.

Maes stepped out of the kitchen. "Yo, Ed!" He said enthusiastically, slapping Edward hard on the back.

Ed stumbled forward and rubbed at his shoulder. He smiled weakly and glanced back at Hughes. "Hey."

Glacia folded her hands in front of her, looking at the Elrics. "Nikki's out back...Why don't you go and say hi?" She smiled.

Ed laughed and grinned, practically skipping towards the back door. "You bet!"

Al cocked his head a bit as he watched Ed, before turning his attention to Maes and Glacia again. "Thank you so much for having us back."

Glacia nodded. "It's our pleasure. You two can stay as long as you want."

Alphonse nodded a thank you and the three of them jumped as Ed let out a scream from the backyard.

Nikki stared at Edward from a bench, sitting between Fletcher and Russell with Elysia on her lap. "E-...Edward..? Is something wrong?"

Edward stared back at her pointing from Russell to Fletcher continuously, his mouth hanging open in a horrified manner. "It-It-It's...!"

Russell smiled and raised a hand. "Hello."

Ed growled and clenched his fists, stomping one foot on the ground before pointing at Russell. "Don't you 'Hello' me, you imposter!!!"

Nikki blinked and looked up at Russell with a questionable look. "..?"

Russell sighed and smiled, closing his eyes and giving her an innocent shrug. "Who knows?"

Ed gaped at him and held his hands down by his waist, palms-up as he slouched a bit. "Who knows?!!"

Nikki held Elysia in her arms, standing up. "Edward, calm down..."

Edward waved his hands frantically at his sides. " 'Calm down'? What'd'ya mean 'calm down'?! These two should be under arrest and here they are sitting in the Lt. Colonel's backyard!!!" He dropped his hands to his sides, hanging his head as he panted... He had said the entire thing in one breath.

Nikki frowned and looked at the Tringham brothers.

Russell shook his head as if to say he pitied Edward and had no idea what he was talking about.

Fletcher, however, liked Nikki too much to lie to her. "We stole Ed and Al's identities in order to gain access to Mugear's laboratory in Xenotime... So that we could create the Philosopher's Stone..." He gripped the knees of his pants with his hands, staring at his boots.

Ed and Russell stared at him in semi-shcok.

Nikki looked at him as well, then over to Russell. "Is that true?"

Russell huffed and glanced sideways, giving a nod. The bangs of his pretty-boy hairstyle fell into his eyes.

Nikki frowned a bit and Elysia blinked, looking up at her. Nikki gave her a weak smile and then looked back at Ed. "Well, that's in the past, right? It's over now and we all need to move on."

Ed stared at her. For a moment, he thought about pressing the subject farther. After all, he and Russell weren't the best of friends, but... There was a sort of dullness to her normally bright eyes and it was all the hint Ed needed to realize that she was saying this for her own reasons, too. "...Yeah."

Russell sighed and rested his hands on his knees, standing up as Elysia squirmed from Nikki's arms and stood beside her. "Well... It's been fun, Niks... But we should get going."

Ed's temple twitched at the new nickname he had given her.

Nikki looked at Russell and nodded. "Where are you off to now?"

Russell shrugged. "Out towards the Eastern Sector, probably. The next train leaves in about 20 minutes, so..."

Nikki smiled and nodded. "Okay."

Russell gave a small smile before hugging her. Having an urge to see exactly how Edward would act, he leaned down, giving Nikki a friendly kiss on the cheek.

Nikki blushed and rubbed the back of her head with a small smile, glancing at the ground.

Edward stared for a minute before his jaw hit the floor. He growled and ignored the rest of Russell's goodbye to Nikki as he clapped his palms together swiftly and dropped to one knee, slamming them into the grass.

Blue streaks of alchemic light flashed from the earth as well as from his gloves. The ground lifted in a prefect half circle as if a large creature were tunneling through the yard directly towards Russell. When the mound came to Russell's feet, a large green and brown pillar shot from the earth and curved, vaulting Russell over the backyard's fence and into the street. Edward grinned and snickered as the ground sunk back into place.

Fletcher, Nikki and Elysia stared at the fence as Russell groaned on the other side. The three of them sweatdropped and then looked at Edward, who was brushing his hands off. He shoved them in his pockets and turned on one heel, walking into the house proudly as he whistled.

Nikki blinked slowly and sighed heavily. She turned to Fletcher and smiled, patting his blonde mess of hair. "It was very nice to meet you, Fletcher."

He smiled. "...Nice to meet you too, Nikki... I hope we see each other again..."

Nikki nodded and smiled. 'I can almost guarantee it."

Fletcher grinned a bit and ran over to the fence, climbing up and over it.

Nikki listened as the two brothers engaged in conversation, yelled goodbye to her from the street, and slowly begin to fade away. She looked down at Elysia, who poked at the mound still present in the lawn. Nikki smiled and picked her up. "Come on, Elysia... Let's go knock some sense into Edward, huh?"

**A/N: BAM! Chapta Seven!!! Hope you liked it **

**Updates:** _Also, later on in this story, there may be a bit of... Intimacy between Edward and Nikki. It will be in a seperate chapter of it's own if it's inclulded at all. So, I know not everyone's comfortable with this, so please, when you comment simply put a Yes or No at the end for this chapter. If I get enough 'yes' votes, then the ones who vote no can smply skip the chapter. I assure you that you will not miss anything. _

_I shall also be posting a new prologue/chapter 1 to the story. The prologue, I think, has a bit more meaning and really ties into the end of this FanFic and sort of prepares us all for the sequal. Yes! Sequal! Now, for chapter one, the only thing that really changes is the ending where Nikki arrives at the alley and sees the damage done by Scar. Please look into it and tell me what ya think! ;D  
_-Tasha


	8. VIII: Fallen Hero

**A/N: Oh, boy... Alright, so I started this chapter on Wednesday... Finished it last night in the midst of drunken family members, football cheers and desserts. GO ME:D  
Chapter 8, hope you like it!**

The crowd had died down in the city compared to earlier that day. People still muttered and bustled around, despite the fact that the sky was painted an orange and red mix with small streaks of yellow and even some pinks and purples.

The circular tables outside a small restaurant were far from being filled. Actually, out of the 6 there, only one had people sitting at it. The two people seated there were lost in conversation, one stirring her hot chocolate and the other swallowing down food like he was going to cross the Sahara.

"Did you _have_ to throw him over the fence like that, Edward?" Nikki sighed and pouted, looking at him from over the tops of her glasses with an arched brow.

"O'corfse eh 'id! He wafs makon wooves on oo!" Edward declared through a mouthful of... Several dishes.

Nikki smiled and sipped her hot cocoa. "You over exaggerate things, Edward. He was just being friendly."

Ed swallowed and sighed before propping an elbow on the table and waving his fork in her direction. He held a second fork in his other hand as he waved it about in the air nonchalantly when he spoke. "Listen, Nikki. Fletcher's okay, but Russell's bad news! Anyone who's that tall at the age of 14 is someone you don't want to mess with. I'm tellin' ya. After all, I know this kid and kicked his ass, too." He grinned and then twirled spaghetti with both forks. "All I'm sayin' is to watch out what alchemists and people you get mixed up with. They might try to hurt you and then I'd have to kill them." He gave a firm nod and stuffed his mouth.

Nikki watched him and giggled. "The State Alchemist speaks."

Edward nodded and closed his eyes. "S'right." He said matter-of-factly.

"So then, you're finished? What now?"

Ed tilted his head and glanced up at the sky. He set down his utensils and leaned back, hands folded behind his head. "Hm... Well... I'm kind of tired now... So how about we head back, huh?"

Nikki nodded and smiled, standing up. "Sure."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Hughes was in the records room on the Central HQ. He sorted through papers quickly and blinked, a glare disappearing from his glasses as he moved his head in a way that the light shone through the lenses as normally. "...Th-...That's it! That's what all this fuss is about! Edward was right..." He muttered, looking at a manilla folder on the side of the desk. "...I have to call, Roy..."

"...I can't let you do that..." A smooth voice replied from the corner of the room.

Maes turned, a glare set on one lens. He smirked, sweat running down his forehead. "...Look, lady... I don't have time for this right now..."

"But, it's such a pleasure to finally meet you, Lt. Colonel... Let's stay and chat..." A slicing sound came from the direction of the woman's voice as long, slender stakes, if you would, pierced through the desk and papers.

Maes rolled out of the way, banging back against the door to the room. The large stakes sliced upward, having an effect like a knife and slicing the papers and desk in half.

Maes stared and grunted as another set of 5 spikes pierced the door around him, one actually cutting clear through his shoulder.

"Come now, Hughes... All our planning will fail if you report this to the higher ranks... We can't have that. You can either run and forget everything... Or you can die here; a loyal dog of the military." The woman came forward. Her heels clicked on the floor. The candle sitting in a lantern on the wall shone over a deep forest green dress that fit her form and displayed an odd tattoo right in the middle of her chest, below her collar bone.

Hughes growled. "Fine... Heh... I can't die yet... I have a wife and kids to go home to..."

The woman recalled the spikes, which seemed to actually be her fingers. She smirked, every aspect of her face except her lips were covered in shadow. As her dark lips curved up into a smile, she folded her arms. "Go, then... But I'll be watching you..."

Hughes stood up and smirked, holding his shoulder and opening the door. "Gee... Thanks, lady..." He gave a half-hearted and quiet laugh before heading out of the record room, closing the door.

Beside the woman, a little, overweight man lumbered into view. He had large, meaty arms, a large stomach, and wore tight black clothing. Up the lengths of his arms were red lines. His tongue hung from his mouth like a dog's and on his tongue was a tattoo like the one the woman had. His eyes were white and bleak, but yearned for food.

"Keheheh... Can I eat him now, Lust?" He heaved his tongue over his lips, slobbering over himself.

"Now, now Gluttony... That would spoil things... We must let Envy do his job, now..." She looked down at the man, if it could even be called that, and patted his head with a gloved hand. "Come, now..." Lust walked over to the candle and smacked it off the wall, it rolled over the carpet, the wax dripping into a pile before she smushed the hot wax and flame into the rug, leaving it to smolder.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Nikki put her hands in her pockets, walking along side Edward. "So, how'd your exam go? I didn't even ask you and there we were at dinner."

Ed laughed and grinned, his hands still folded behind his head. "Ah, it was a piece of cake! Take a look!" He held up a new silver watch, engraved with the State Alchemist's crest. It shined and gleamed even in the dull light, hinting that it was brand new.

Nikki blinked and smiled, taking it from him. "Oh, wow! How neat!" She clicked the button at the top and cocked her head when it didn't open. "Um... Edward... I think it's broken..?"

He shook his head. "No. I did that with alchemy. I have a secret locked up inside there... When the time is right I'll let you look." He teased.

Nikki whined. "We'll you'll never know when the time will be right 'cause you've zapped your watch shut, genius!" She teased back.

The two of them laughed as she inserted the watch back into his pocket and took the stairs up to the front door of Maes' house.

Glacia looked at them from the living room where she and Alphonse were sitting, playing a game with Elysia. "Oh, welcome back, you two."

Alphonse looked at Ed. "How did the exam go, big brother?"

Ed sighed and plopped next to him on the couch. "Fine, fine, fine, as always. Easy to pass." He grinned.

Nikki looked around and sat beside Glacia. Elysia scrambled onto her lap and clung to her t-shirt. "So... Where's Mr. Hughes?"

Glacia blinked. "Oh, he went in on some last minute call... He said not to wait up and that he needed to go and check something out in the record room, anyway." She smiled. "He should be home by tomorrow at dinner, the latest."

Nikki nodded and smiled, petting Elysia's head.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Hughes scoffed a little as he turned the dial on a phone. "Crazy woman..." he muttered, holding his shoulder with his opposite hand, the receiver pinched between his head and shoulder.

The phone booth stood behind Warehouse B, a.k.a. Warehouse 13. He decided this would be the best place to make a call to the Colonel in Eastern Command as it was hidden from view and also on military grounds. It made sense right? That... Woman wouldn't dare come here with all the soldiers in such close proximity.

Finally, someone on the other line picked up; a man who sounded rather bored. "Eastern Headquarters."

"Yes! Get me Roy- I mean, Colonel Mustang! It's an emergency!"

"I'm sorry, sir. We're not permitted to accept calls from outside lines." He stated blankly.

"Damnit! The military's in danger! This is Lt. Colonel Hughes from Central!"

"...Very well. Please hold."

Maes sighed in annoyance and slapped his face hard. "Ugh. Regulations, regulations... M'sick of this..." He muttered and sweatdropped.

"...May I please have the code?"

"The c-..." Maes blinked and dug frantically through his uniform pockets for his wallet. "You've got to be kidding!!" He flipped through pages of a small notebook, never noticing a picture sliding from the wallet and fluttering onto the ground.

The man cleared his throat once Maes had read him the code. "Very well. I'll connect you."

Maes growled. "About time..."

A foot crunced the gravel behind him, stepping on the edge of the picture. In the picture was Maes, Glacia, Elysia and Nikki. One big happy family.

Maes blinked and turned, looking up at Maria Ross, a fairly new military officer, but certainly not untrained. "Oh, Lieutenant. Wh-?"

Maria frowned at him, holding a gun to his face, cocking it slowly. "Don't move... You've certainly gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble, Lt. Colonel..."

Maes smiled a little. "This... This is quite out of line Lieu-..." He blinked slowly and smirked. "You're not Lt. Ross..."

Maria blinked. "...Of course I am."

"No you're not... Maria Ross has a mole under her left eye..." He smirked wider.

The fake Maria blinked slowly and then laughed. "Oh, how silly of me!" She raised her free hand, pressing her fingertip to her cheekbone beneath her left eye. Slowly, she slid her finger and seemed to pull back a layer of skin, a mole appearing under her eye. "Better?"

Maes stared at her and frowned, gripping the phone tightly as the operator told him to hold; the Colonel was busy at the moment.

"Now, then..." She held up the gun again. "Unfortunately, you've stuck your nose where it doesn't belong and you must be taken care of."

Maes chuckled softly. "...H-hey... I can't die yet. I've got a family to go home to... Not to mention a birthday party this weekend..." He smiled, releasing a knife from up inside his sleeve.

Maria tilted her head. "Well, unfortunately, I can't let you go home. At least not with a pulse." She smiled sweetly.

He smiled. "You brought it on yourself, lady." He dropped the receiver, which clanked against the back of the phone booth. Maes whirling around, aiming the knife into the imposter's chest... However, he stopped dead and wide-eyed.

Where Maria once stood, now stood Glacia... Or... Half of her. The military uniform of Maria Ross slowly peeled away, replacing the previous attire with the dress Glacia was wearing in the photo. "Oh, Maes... You wouldn't stab your own wife, would you?" She smiled sweetly.

Maes felt his knees weaken as his hand shook in midair. Sweat ran down his face.

"...Our ring-leader sends their best.."

Maes winced. "Oh, my-..."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Riza looked at Roy, holding the receiver in her hand. "Sir, you have a call from Lt. Colonel Hughes in Central."

Roy frowned and sweatdropped. He stood up and Riza stepped out of the room to avoid any hostility.

"Would you like to accept this call, sir?" asked the bored operator.

"Please..." Roy replied bitterly.

The phone clicked, filling the receiver with dead air. "Listen, Hughes! I like your family... But I'm sick of you telling me about every time Elysia blinks!!"

He waited a moment; no rebuttal. "...Hughes?"

_Despite the area around the phone booth being filled with soldiers, no one had come running_.

"Hello?" Roy sounded annoyed.

_Blood shimmered softly in a light inside the phone booth. It seeped beneath the picture, causing it to float in the pool lazily._

"Maes." He sounded worried.

_The receiver in the booth swung back and forth slowly near a head of black, greased back hair._

"Hughes! Where are you?!" Riza blinked and looked at Roy as she walked in, looking confused.

_The palm of his hand was covered in blood, his opposite shoulder hung at an angle, broken._

"Hey! Hughes!!"

_His glasses were bent beneath a leg of dead weight, a lens sat stained red with blood_.

"HEY! HUGHES!!!!!"

_The moon hung silently over head._

**A/N: T-T This was a sad chapter to write. I luff teh Hughes-pwnageness. If you don't like to cry, then you might not want to read the next chapter, which includes Hughes' funeral and a... very dramatic experience for Nikki. Poor thing. I'm so cruel to her, but she lurves meh! ;D  
Nikki: ...  
...Okay, well... Maybe not a lot... But she does, I tell you! -wrinkles nose-  
Check back in a couple hours! I might have it up either today or tomorrow:D**


	9. IX: Enough

**A/N: -throws herself on the desk, and sobs as she hangs her arms off it- I'm such a bad perso-o-o-on! I said I'd have this chapter up in a day or two and it's _how_ many months later? Goodness! School is gross, family is weird, life sucks. But... We all know this. -ahem- Well... Since I stayed home yesterday and today with a mix of strept throat and scarlet fever, I decided to write up this chapter and post it up here. I hope you guys like it :D**

**Disclaimer: Bah... You know the drill x.x**

Edward leaned out the window of the train. "Hey, sorry we can't stay. Alchemy exam, then right back to work." He huffed. "No leisure time at all."

Glacia smiled and held Elysia in her arms. "That's quite alright, Edward. We understand."

Nikki nodded in agreement.

Edward grinned and rubbed the back of his head as Alphonse waved to Elysia from behind him. "So... Where's Hughes?"

Glacia blinked. "Oh, well... He said not to worry. He went in late yesterday and said he may not be back until dinner time today. I'm sure he'd come to see you off if he could."

Ed nodded and grinned, folding his arms on the window sill. "So, I'll stop by whenever I can. I'll keep you posted."

Nikki smiled at him and nodded, folding her hands behind her back. "Alright, then. I'll be seeing you."

Ed and Al nodded and, in unison, responded; "Definitely!"

Glacia and Nikki both giggled, and Elysia held back tears and a sob, waving at Alphonse frantically. She had gotten attached to the large suit of armor, despite how short of a time period they had been lingering around.

The train whistled loudly before it lurched a little and began clanking along the tracks slowly. Ed and Al leaned farther out the window, waving at Nikki, Glacia, and Elysia.

"See you guys!" Ed called.

"Take care of yourselves!!" Nikki called back.

"And tell Mr. Hughes we said good-bye!" Al added.

The two groups continued waving until the train turned left, causing the right side of the train to disappear, along with Ed and Al.

--------------------

The day should have been better... Nikki hated the weather for being so gloomy, instead of shining with golden light like it had for the past month... However, she couldn't fight the feeling that the scenery fit so well with the event. However, it wasn't one she particularly enjoyed.

The wake had been horrible... It was almost too much for Nikki to bear, so she had stayed in her seat with Elysia, who had left small tear-stains on the shoulder of Nikki's black coat. She hardly cared, though.

Actually, she was surprised with how she was dealing with this. She watched Elysia cry, she watched Glacia cry. She watched family, friends and even military companions cry... But she didn't... Neither had Roy or Riza, who had shown up afterwards at the cemetery

She stood with her hands folded in front of her, her light brown hair falling down around the sides of her face, glasses hanging in her eyes. What a stupid day to have the funeral, though... Her birthday, of all days. How much did that suck? _A lot_, she told herself.

It hardly mattered, though... She only thought of that once, earlier in the day when she was getting dressed to go with Glacia and Elysia. She closed her eyes, drowning out the words of the preacher near the grave stuffed with a coffin and the sound of dirt falling and crumbling on top of the lacquered, plastic coffin.

She frowned slightly as she heard Elysia call out to the men who continued to pile dirt, almost completely covering the coffin. "Hey! What are you doing to my Papa?!

Nikki glanced over at Elysia and then up at Glacia as she spoke. "E-...Elysia... Stop." She gripped the shoulder of the small girl, who hugged her leg softly.

"No! Tell them to stop Momma! Tell them to wake up Papa!"

Glacia held a handkerchief to her mouth and hiccuped as she held back small sobs. "E-...Ely-.." She closed her eyes and whimpered a bit.

"Papa gots lotsa work to do! He told me! Stoppit! Papa! Papa!!!"

--------------------

The gravestone shimmered a bit, a light drizzle having passed over Central just after everyone had left... Or... Almost everyone.

Roy mustang stood in front of it, his dark eyes staring down at it. He snorted a little, and turned his head. A few shorter locks of his hair fell into his eyes, breaking out of their greased-back state. He slid his fingers around the brim of his hat and closed his eyes with a frown. "Promoted two ranks higher in death, huh? Hmph... Major General." He said bitterly. "How are you supposed to support me by working under me now?"

Roy looked over his shoulder as Riza walked up the hill. "Sir... It's getting late. We should head back if we want to catch the train back to Eastern Command..."

Roy looked at her and then nodded a little. "Very well..." He let out a sigh. "Besides... It's raining." He placed his hat on his head, the brim casting a shadow over his eyes

Riza blinked and held out her hand, receiving nothing but dry air. "...But... It's not raining, sir."

Roy looked up, though only tilted back his head, for the brim of his hat obscured his view. "Yes it is..." He smiled a bit as tears slid down his cheeks. "This is rain."

Riza looked at him softly and then frowned with a small nod, casting her chocolate-brown eyes to the ground. "...Yes, sir..."

Roy looked back down and tipped his hat at Maes's gravestone before turning and walking back down the slightly inclined landscape of the cemetery with Riza, both of them leaving through the large iron gate where they met Glacia, who seemed to be on her way inside.

They paid last regards to her and then climbed into their buggie, heading towards the train station.

Glacia walked up the hill, her feet making a sloshing sound as she walked along the wet grass. She held an envelope in her hands and stared at it. She felt a bit queasy at the thought of giving it to Nikki, but it was her birthday, and Maes had intended to give it to her today.

She stopped at Maes's grave and stared at it softly, hiccupping a bit as she chocked back a sob. She blinked for a moment, thinking she had slipped one past herself, as she heard someone crying. She shook her head and then looked around, her eyes falling on a nearby tree. With a small frown, she walked towards it.

As she rested her hand on the trunk, she peered around it and looked down at Nikki, who was propped up against it, sitting on the wet ground with her knees hugged to her chest as she sobbed into the sleeves of her jacket.

Glacia sighed softly and crouched down so that she did not stain her outfit nor herself in the wet grass. "...Nikki..?"

Nikki looked up at Glacia, her glasses a little crooked, fogged, and moist from crying on them. Her eyes were bright red, like her nose and her cheeks.

"Nikki... Are you coming back home soon?"

She gave a nod and bit her lip lightly. "I-... I think that... I just need a little longer... I'll be back before dark, though... I... I promise."

Glacia shook her head. "Take as long as you want, sweetheart... I do have something for you, though."

Nikki frowned a little. "..I-.. I'm sorry, Glacia... I don't want anything today..."

"But..." She sighed and tilted her head a bit. "...But Maes wanted you to have it..."

Nikki blinked slowly and eyed the envelope as Glacia extended it to her. With a shaky hand, Nikki took the envelope, the contents causing it to weigh heavy in her hand.

Glacia pet Nikki's head gently and smiled, resting her hand on her cheek. "I'll save you some dinner in case you come home late..."

Nikki gave a small and, though she managed a small smile, only succeeding in cringing slightly.

Glacia pressed her hands to her knees and stood up, turning and leaving the cemetery slowly.

Nikki watched her leave, but still waited for the confirmation of the iron gate closing nosily before turning the envelope over in her hands again and again. Finally, she slipped her finger between the flap and the envelope, ripped the top of it open evenly. She saw, first, a folded package of papers, and then a small paper, through which ink from a pen shown through a bit. This was the paper she took first.

_Nikki,_

_It didn't seem right to me that you have lived with us for so long, and have still not truly been made a part of this family. At first, Glacia thought I was crazy for doing this, but what can I say? You grow on people!_

_It's understandable if you would like to reject this; we aren't your family after all, and we all know what family means to you. This is just to show you that I - that WE - care about you enough to call you a daughter._

_The Hughes Family_

Nikki let out a small whimper. She knew Maes's handwriting when she saw it. She inhaled deeply and shook her head as she exhaled. What on earth was he talking about? She refolded the letter and set it on her lap before slipping the rest of the papers out of the envelope.

It was a stack of about 5 papers stapled together. Nikki flipped through it once, quickly, catching the signatures of both Maes and Glacia on several pages, as well as a couple of spaces with a red 'x' quickly scratched beside a line, where a signature she couldn't exactly make out was written. There were also a few more, blank spaces, marked with blue x's. She expected this was for her.

She frowned a little and flipped the pages one by one quickly, instead of fanning through it again. "...Hm.."

She bit her lip and flipped back to the first page, where she started to read. Well.. Actually, she just sort of stared at it. All she saw so far were formalities and a few large words she probably knew the meanings of, but didn't care to relate them in the text.

However, a few words did catch her eye, and made her lose her breath. Things like... Her name, 'adopt', 'parents', 'love'. She bit her lip and started again, this time taking in everything and applying definitions even to the simplest of words as if to prolong getting to the point.

It finally struck her hard, making her go lightheaded and sending her into a daze that made the cemetery tilt this way and then, making her a little nauseous. The words on the paper slowly see-sawed as well and then, gradually focused again.

Nikki watched as the view of her surrounding changed to nothing but grass, and her hands clutching the envelope and adoption papers. She didn't remember moving onto her knees but felt her face flush and the lightheadedness increase as she wretched and vomited. Tears streaked her cheeks and she closed her eyes tightly as she vomited again.

If this was family, perhaps it was something she truly did not want. At least not right now... It was something that she couldn't stand to have placed before her so simply as a name on a paper. Surely, something she held to such high regards could not be so easily obtained... Or could it?

She hardly cared. Nothing seemed to be logical anymore, and Nikki was always a very logical person. All this grief and despair took hold of her years ago and, even now, refused to move on and she wondered when it would be enough. Surely, it would end sometime? Surely she could be happy again? It was possible for her to return to the life she had known before was it not? She could be carefree and loved and, dare I say it, happy. No... No one was ever happy for long. Life was hard and she now knew there was nothing she could do but accept it. ...Right?

The sour smell of vomit sickened Nikki even more and she wavered as she climbed onto her feet, wrapping her thin arms around the tree trunk for support. She panted and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. She probably looked a wreck, but it didn't matter. The sun had passed below the horizon just enough so that there was barely any light left at all. It was now or never. She let out a sighed and slowly stumbled down the inclined cemetery, going back and forth in a diagonal pattern, bouncing off one headstone and leaning on another for ten minutes or so.

Throughout her journey back home, she remained out of sorts, the letter, envelope and adoption papers now semi-crumpled in her fist. As she listened to the sound of her shoes clacking against the cement sidewalk, they mirrored the sound of a clock, one that reflected her life. The second hand ticked away, counting minute after minute. Each clack or tick made her more lightheaded than before and her neck became tight, causing her breathing to grow short.

Her body ached utterly and completed. Not a single limb or crevice was soothed. Her head ached terribly, the pain trailing down and causing her eyes to slip in and out of focus. Her mouth hurt from vomiting, her legs and feet ached from walking, her arms from constantly stabilizing herself, her chest from crying and feelings she refused to bring to the surface. She was one big bundle of pain and felt like collapsing in the empty street. She had been walking for only 5 minutes and it was the longest walk she had ever made in her life.

Was she wrong? Was family really worth all this? And if this was how family made you feel, then she dreaded to think how being alone would compare.

She stopped and propped herself on the post of a street lamp, pressing the base of her palm to her forehead as she exhaled slowly. Perhaps she was jumping to conclusions... Maybe it was just too much for her. After a good night's sleep... Maybe she would have her head on straight again.

It was worth a shot at least... Thank heavens she had that much sense left. So, with that thought, she slowly walked the rest of the way towards Glacia's house and slowly climbed the stairs, opening the door. She passed the kitchen and spotted a plate of food on the table. She stopped and headed inside the room, slipping the plate into the refrigerator. Then, she slipped off her heeled shoes and headed upstairs.

The house was dark ,but she had no trouble navigating the hallways or rooms. She walked into the bathroom on the upper floor and let the door click shut behind her. She unbuttoned her jacket and slipped out of her stained, black dress, which pooled at her feet. She bent over, slipping off her stockings and sniffed, as she let her slip pooled around her ankles over her dress. She removed her under garments and then glanced at herself in the mirror attached to the medicine cabinet.

The sight of herself made her stop dead. She hardly recognized herself. Her eyes were red and puffy and a few parts of her hair were stuck together from getting sick on it some. Dirt covered her cheeks some from rubbing her face after pressing her hands in the dirt and clean streaks from tears slid down to her chin. The eyeliner she wore had run some and her face, in general, did not look the same as it had yesterday, or even this morning.

She leaned forward, one hand on the sink as she ran the fingertips of her other hand over her face. Her other hand joined and she traced the fullness and crevices of her face. Why... Why did she look so different? So... So much older? She huffed and closed her eyes, shaking her head hard. With a heavy, yet slow exhale, she pulled off her glasses and folded them up, setting them on the edge of the sink. She turned to the shower and slid the curtain closed, turning the shower head on.

Maybe things would be better tomorrow...

**A/N: Oh noes! Nikki's so emo! D: I would like to take this time to say that I would advise not trusting me with dates for Chapter releases because... Well... It probably won't happen. School's gross, family is weird, and life sucks... This will continue to be my motto until I can figure out how to sort out my time xD**

**On a side note... Who the hell gets scarlet fever anymore?! Oo**

**Hope you liked the chapter! Don't forget to review! I love hearing from you guys, and with my current state, I know it'll definately cheer me up :D**


	10. X: To the East

**A/N:** **Alright, everyone. Here it is! Chapter 10. Now... Don't you think it's time for another one of Nikki's reunions? I thought so too :D  
As far as Nikki x Ed, it will come back eventually. He'll be around in the next chapter and, if I were you, I'd skip Chapter XII, because it will contain some... Ahem... Explicit content... Anyway, enjoy!!**

It wasn't as though she didn't feel bad; it wasn't that at all. She had remained there as long as possible and simply found herself unable to stay in a place that held so much pain. Glacia did not agree, but knew that she had made the right decision. Elysia was devastated; she had lost her playmate. However, Nikki had promised to come and visit whenever she could. Right now, she had the difficult task of hunting down the Elric brothers... Those two covered more ground than the number of women Mustang won over with his 'devilish charms' in a week.

Heaving a sigh, Nikki slouched in her seat and propped her feet up on the seat across from her. The train rattled along the tracks as they passed over a river. Her violet eyes stared back at her through the reflection of the glass, but she ignored them and stared past them at the scenery that seemed too perfect and technicolour to be real.

"Hm... Where to start..?" She sighed and rubbed her forehead gently with the tips of her fingers and cleared her throat. She had been talking to herself a lot this train ride, so she was happy that her compartment had a door, a lock, and shades to pull down over the door windows.

Even if Edward and Alphonse weren't in the Eastern half of Amestris, she knew Mustang would tell her where she may be able to find them. Er... Hopefully. If there was a shred of humanity in him he would, right? ...Right?!

Nikki sighed and shook her head, slipping her hand under her glasses as she cupped her palm over her eyes. "Oi..."

Maybe... This was a bad idea? What was she supposed to do once she got there? Didn't she need some kind of identification to get into Eastern Command? She didn't know anyone there who were civilians... She didn't even know where Mustang and his team lived. Worse... She had no money... Glacia had paid for her ticket, saying it was 'the least she could do'. Well... She did what she could. Nikki couldn't be mad because of the events that had taken place just a few days prior.

The conductor made his way down the aisles of the train. As he came to Nikki's door, he rapped on the window and she looked up, her glasses slipping back down onto her nose. She sniffed some and stood up, going to unlock the compartment door.

The conductor, who was young with straight blonde hair that fell to his earlobes from under his cap, flashed her a grin. "May I see your ticket please, Miss?"

Nikki blinked and then fished into the back pocket of her pants. "Um..." She scrunched her nose and then slipped the ticket from her pocket, handing it to him. "Here you go..."

The conductor eyed the ticket and then looked up at her, blinking. "You're traveling all the way out to the East on your own?"

Nikki smiled some, taking the ticket from him gently. "Yeah."

"It's kinda dangerous out there, y'know... There have been a lot of kidnaps lately. Especially young women. You be careful out there Miss." He tipped his hat and grinned, his pearly white teeth shining some.

Nikki smiled a bit and nodded. "I will. Thank you." She went to close the door when the conductor stopped it from sliding closed.

"May I get you anything?" He inquired, semi-hopefully.

She tilted her head to one side and then nodded. "...Water? Please."

He grinned and then nodded. "I'll be with you in one minute."

Nikki watched the conductor as he walked down the aisle, checking the rest of the tickets.

The train ride seemed shorter than it was intended to be, probably due to the fact that Nikki finally had someone to talk to. Michael, the conductor, was a very sweet boy of 18 who was working as a conductor in order to help pay for a toxin his mother needed to get well. He had said that the doctors diagnosed her with some sort of blood condition. Apparently, she had clots that, although they did not clog her veins, made it very difficult for the blood to flow and that caused her to remain bedridden.

Nikki sympathized with the boy. She could only imagine what it must be like to have something like this happen, knowing that your mother is suffering and that all you can do is work hard and hope for the best. It wasn't as though she wasn't familiar with loss... God, that was one thing she knew about... But burdened with the fact that it could happen any time...

Of course, whether you were sick or not, death could come to you at any moment, but somehow Nikki thought it different when one was sick. She wasn't quite sure how to explain it, but it was more real than the seemingly intangible possibility of someone being shot, or murdered, or getting into an accident because, in the long run, a majority of people often lived with the attitude which reflected the thought; "That will never happen to me."

* * *

The walk from the Eastern Sector train station to Eastern HQ was a long one... Partly because Nikki had no real idea about where she was going. Of course she had the knowledge to ask around, but her mind wandered while the other person spoke, lingering on this and that, and therefore she always had to seek out help again.

At one point during her walk, she wasn't sure how long after leaving the station, Nikki sat down at a small café that reminded her of the one Edward had taken her to after his alchemy exam in Central. She stared up at the sky from around the edge of the umbrella propped up over her head, the handle sprouting from a hole in the center of the round, white, plastic table. She let out a soft sigh and grabbed the small arch of her glasses that surrounded the bridge of her nose. She squinted some, her hair slipping into her eyes as she tilted her head down, cleaning off the lenses with the corner of her shirt.

With a gentle touch, Nikki tucked her hair behind her ear, sliding her glasses back onto her face. She glanced sideways at the table as a waiter set a cup of free tea on the table in front of her. She blinked and eyed the cup for a minute before looking up at the waiter and smiling softly, nodding. He smiled and nodded back before turning and walking back into the café.

Nikki turned so that her back was pressed against the arch of the chair. She sighed and held the cup in both hands as she gently lifted and tipped the cup, gently wetting her lips. She closed her eyes and then parted her lips, letting the tea sink into her mouth. As the semi-sweet taste filled her mouth, she sighed softly. It was soothing in a way and not even the rattling of the buggies on the cobblestone broke her state until;

"Nikki!! Nikki, is that you?!"

With a small jump, Nikki set her tea down and turned her head. There, leaning against the small white fence that lined the outside area of the café, stood none other than Caine Fuery; the officer who worked for Mustang and who Nikki had gotten rather friendly with during his stay in Central.

For the first time in a week, Nikki gave a genuine grin and stood up as the boy, who was currently dressed in civies, approached her. The two embraced one another in a friendly manner and Nikki smiled, her head barely coming up onto his shoulder. "How are you?!"

She was surprised at how much a familiar face changed her attitude, though she showed it in a very subtle way. With a small 'eep' of surprise, Nikki clung tighter to the boy as he tightened his arms around her and lifted her off the ground. She was quite light.

After he set her down, he grinned some, adjusting his glasses. "I've been great... But... I've heard otherwise of you." He frowned a bit. Though he hadn't been in Central at the time of the funeral, he knew why Roy and Riza had gone just a week prior. "How have you been? ...I mean... Are you alright?"

Nikki looked at him for a moment before smiling and nodding, cocking her head to one side. "Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine... Well... better, at least... Compared to how I was."

This was partially true. Though she wasn't completely back to her old self, the arrival of an old friend made her very happy compared to her how she had been just a minute ago. But, she assumed, that even though she really did still feel bad, it would pass in time.

Caine gave a weak, somewhat unconvinced smile. "That's good... That's really good."

"Yeah, it's great..." She slipped her hands into her back pockets and then jerked her head lazily towards the seat across from her own. "Do you wanna sit?"

Caine grinned. "Sure." As he walked around to the other side of the table, Nikki sat back down. She looked at him and blinked slowly. He was so different. The white sleeves of his button-up shirt were rolled up to his elbows, displaying semi-muscular forearms. His hair was a little longer, causing it's default spikes to stick up a bit more and even limp over at the ends. He was taller for sure... And he just looked so much older... But then again.. He had to be at least twenty by now.

Nikki wondered if she looked older to him as well... Sure she had seen herself with a different POV in the mirror that night, but she wondered if it was seen amongst other people as well or whether it was just a real-life epiphany that had taken years for her to experience.

"So, Nikki... What brings you all the way out here?" Caine inquired.

Nikki blinked, shaking her head a little, snapping back to reality. "..Oh.. Well, actually... I was just looking for Edward and Alphonse... I just needed to get out of there for a while... Away from all these cities and stuff... I dunno... I'd like to travel a lot more." She smiled.

Caine leaned back and folded his hands behind his head. "Ah, well that's good that you're getting away from it all. I mean, I can't imagine what you've gone through." He gave a small frown.

Nikki frowned a bit and nodded. "Yeah, it's been hard, but... You know... I guess I'm dealing with it."

Caine laughed a little. "Well... That's just natural for you isn't it?"

Nikki laughed as well, twirling a spoonful of sugar into her tea. "I guess it is, isn't it?"

* * *

If Mustang had been stubborn before, then he was just not listening to a word Nikki was saying. She assumed that the death of Maes, whom she knew to be his very good friend, had hit him hard and made him a little bitter. His dark eyes seemed even colder than the previous time Nikki had met them in the cemetery, seeming to hold nothing but contempt and hate. Riza seemed worried about him because she constantly sent her chocolate-brown eyes towards Mustang with a weary glance.

Nikki observed this, sitting in his new office that was more ominous to her now than it had been at the time of the mishap in Central several years ago. Though her mind couldn't place what was so foreboding about the room, she couldn't help but feel something big was going to happen as she sat there on one of the green upholstered couches.

The whir of the fan was deafening, leaving an annoying ring in Nikki's ears. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail and small wisps of her chestnut hair hung in her violet eyes over her glasses. She slowly took a deep breath and as she spoke, let it out. "...Why can't you tell me where they are?" So much for humanity.

Roy's brow furrowed and his eyebrow twitched irritably. "...Because... They work for the military and we can't release such information to you because it would not be permitted to any other civilian."

Nikki whipped her head in the direction of the Colonel and frowned. "Well _that man_ was a member of the military wasn't he?" She replied bitterly, her lips pressed tightly together as she spoke. She despised 'that man', more specifically her father, with every fiber of her being. "And so did Maes..."

Roy opened his eyes and glared at her from over the tops of his hands, which were folded against his lips. Nikki braced herself and then suddenly relaxed as Riza cleared her throat, which seemed to calm Roy down and, with a little less heat in his system, almost silently replied; "...But you personally are not of the military... Nor are you a legal adult in this country."

Nikki huffed and stood up. She was getting tired of being treated like a child which she most certainly was not! No humanity at all! "That's not a good enough reason! They're my friends and I want to know where they are _now_!"

Riza and Roy both blinked, a little surprised by Nikki's sudden outburst. Riza clung to her clipboard gently and blinked a few more times. "...Nikki... Please calm down. We understand your concern with all this, but you have to understand that some things cannot be released to the general public, whether it be one person or a group of people..."

"But that's not fair! Who am I going to tell?! What problems would it cause? It's not like they wouldn't mind having me there! What the hell are you being such a tightwad for?!" Nikki wasn't sure where her burst of energy had come from and she certainly was surprised, but she wasn't letting it stop her. Not this time. She had lost several people she cared about and now another one was on some hiatus for a military colonel with his head shoved way too far up his own ass to even realize _her_ situation instead of worrying about himself. Maybe that was a bit hypocritical. But weren't alchemists supposed to be for the people? And if not the alchemists, then at least the military in general? Oh well... It just goes to show you that you can't trust the government at all.

Roy glared at her and stood up. "Now you listen to me... I make decisions in this office, not you. You will _not_ tell me how to do my job."

"Of course, _Colonel._" She replied bitterly, her teeth clenched. "But what exactly do you plan to tell your commanding officer when I tell him how incompetent his Colonel is and how he can't possibly be trusted with a rank as high as that because he finds it difficult to supply a girl with the whereabouts of an ally whom she cares about very much and who would not approve to his decision and if prompted, quit this hellhole of a service. _Especially_ when this certain friend is the same friend who has been entrusted with finding the fabled Philosopher's Stone and if and when he finds it, the person responsible for sending him out on these farfetched missions to search for it would be greatly rewarded by the Fuhrer. But how can this possibly be if that certain someone who must find the stone quit, hm?" Nikki folded her arms and took a deep breath, her face red from speaking so quickly.

Roy and Riza stared at her blankly and Roy scratched his head. "Um... Right! So the girl and the hellhole and Stone and... What?" He arched an eyebrow and his features drooped in a blank confusion.

Riza blinked slowly. "I think that... She means she's going to report your incompetence to the Fuhrer and when Edward finds out that you denied her access to his whereabouts he will quit the military and you won't gain glory for being the one who sent FullMetal out on all these missions to recover a Philosopher's Stone... And, should there actually be a Stone, you will be glorified, in a sense, for it."

Roy blinked slowly. "...Ah... Well..." He cleared his throat and puffed his chest in an attempt to seem manly, but failed miserably. He even deepened his voice some. "Challenge me will you?"

Nikki sweatdropped. "Oh... Give it up."

Roy exhaled and then grumbled scratching the back of his head. "He's not far... He's making rounds outside the city and he'll be back around noon tomorrow..."

Nikki twitched and clenched her fists, stomping a foot on the floor. "Couldn't you have told me that in the first place?!"

Riza frowned at Roy. "Indeed, sir... I didn't even know this..."

Roy coughed. "...I have my reasons..." His voice wavered a bit.

Nikki huffed and eyed him.

"What?!" Roy practically whined. "I like seeing you mad... It's amusing..."

Nikki glared at him.

Outside, Caine and Jean Havoc were walking down the hallway, conversing about something or other. Jean slipped his hands through the air in the shape of an hourglass, so it could only be assumed they were talking about women (Three guesses as to who the main focus was about...). They both jumped and stared at Mustang's door as a loud howl of pain came from inside it.

Caine and Jean blinked slowly as Nikki walked out. They eyed her as she stormed down the hallway and the two exchanged glances and grinned. Jean gripped his cigarette in his teeth and slid his hands in an hourglass shape again. Caine snickered a bit and nodded before they blinked and glanced at Mustang who was holding his swollen head. A stapler was open on the desk, the staples laying out around the desk and floor.

Riza sighed and shook her head. "Oh, sir... Hopefully you've learned from all this..?"

Roy groaned.

Jean and Caine looked at each other, then over at Nikki who had bent over to tie her shoe some way down the hall. The two men grinned and looked at on another again. Jean snickered. "Not bad... Not bad at all."

Caine laughed and nodded. "I told you so."

"So how old is she, now?"

"Er... Fifteen? Sixteen, probably..."

"Isn't she a minor, then?"

"Technically..." Caine blinked.

Jean's cigarette dropped with his expression, the ashes falling onto the floor. "...Caine..." He clapped a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "...I think we've just officially become pedophiles..."

**A/N: Well...I think that this chapter deserved a bit of comedy don't you? After all, the last couple got me _so_ depressed. Thank God for Mustang and his crew! **


	11. XI: Heroes' Comeback

**---Serious updating problems with this chapter -twitch- You better like it! **

**A/N: I am shame-faced D: I haven't updated in the longest time. I was starting to get hatemail! Gawd... Well... I hope you all appreciate this chapter. It was almost 20 pages long. That's, like, 2x as long as all the other chapters. Hooray for time jumps!! Now, this chapter is a bit more graphic than my others. I am seriously maturing as far as writing goes o.O... In the sense that I use more adult material, now...  
Don't you love the chapter name? ;D I blame excessive exposure to Naruto: Shippuuden Um... Right. Enjoy!! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own... Oh... Stfu, you know I don't own this series, site! -drops kicks FF- Not doing these anymore! -pwns the disclaimer in the face-**

**_ Tasha: -sings- COME ON! Everybody stand up! Agero kyou ichiban no jikan da Me ni mo tomaranu speed hunter Daremo ga mina toriko kanban YEAH! COME ON! Everybody hands up! Matashita no hero's comeback Zujou kazoe yubioru countdown iku ze 3-2-1, make some noise!!_**

_**Nikki: DUDE! Wrong anime! -slaps-**_

* * *

Eighteen and fabulous. That's how she felt.

The excited, but incoherent chatter of friends and families lining the shores of the beach rang loudly around her, causing a smile to form on her full, pink lips. Though the normal, European-whiteness of her skin had a tint to it that could only be described as 'caramel' and her hair was bleached with streaks of blonde from constant sun exposure, it was still her. She hadn't changed - not personality-wise, at any rate.

The years had passed quickly and it was only at 17 that she had stopped 'maturing'. Her body had finally stopped attempting to curve and settled at a close-to-perfect-hourglass shape and, to her relief, stopped filling out. She was worried about needing bodyguards which sometimes, even nowadays, she thought were mandatory.

"Oi!" Came a male voice from behind her, almost totally suffocated by the crashing of waves and the cheerful yelling that filled the air around the western beach of Amestris. "We got the train schedule! Let's go home!"

Home... It was a semi-intoxicating thought. Despite the pain that Central held, it was and would always, _always_, be her home. Making a full turn, she slipped delicate thumbs from the fabric of her pockets and-

"Coming!"

-ran easily across the sand, her glasses sliding down her nose as the locket of a necklace beat rhythmically against her chest, in time with her footsteps.

* * *

Rattling deafeningly over a bridge suspended above a lake, the train made its way towards Central. Like everything that had happened thus far, the train ride seemed much too short. 

"It's kind of hard to believe that we've been gone three years..." Metallic and ball-jointed fingers drummed softly on the joints of matching metallic knees. The voice which spoke sounded like that of a young boy who was talking into an empty metal can.

"Heh, yeah. I'll say. Kin'a missed the place... But you know how it is! We're heading to the East in a day, so let's make this visit a good one!" White, gloved hands, somewhat covered by black sleeves, slipped behind a head of golden hair, fingers lacing together.

Propped against the blonde, teenaged boy was the brunette girl. She had her legs crossed and laying along the remaining length of the cushioned bench. On her lap was a black book, filled with heavy pages of parchment and, in her thin fingers, was a crimson fountain pen that wrote delicate and slim cursive in small bullet points. Her violet eyes stared intensely at the book as she doodled what only a certain few would know as a Transmutation Circle.

It was incredible how in three years the only change in the Elric brothers was the fact that Edward had sprouted about six inches... Though he remained short for eighteen. Not only had he sprouted, but his hair had grown out and was, for the time being, pulled into a ponytail. Oh! Did I mention his wardrobe? He had shed his red coat and now wore a black, waist-length jacket over a white shirt and black vest. Printed on the breast pocket of his jacket, however, was the symbol of his mentor Izumi, coloured in a dark red.

Well, I lied. Maybe Edward had changed a little more, but he still tended to be rater cocky. He was getting better, though... Russell had said it was because Edward's 'friend' had him 'whipped'.

No one could deny, however, that anyone had changed nearly as much as that Tucker girl who had, two years ago, decided to take an offer previously presented to her. She now went, legally, under the name 'Hughes', though everyone still referred to her as Tucker.

Her attire had changed to a rather plain style. She wore fit, black pants (which also bore the Flammel's Cross crest in white), a light crimson, thin-strapped shirt that hugged her torso and loosened airily around her stomach, and a black coat that covered her hips. The jacket had a single button under the bust line, which Nikki seldom fastened. Her glasses had changed to the shapes of thin rectangles with black and silver frames that had no bottoms to them. They often sat on the end of her nose, giving her the look of someone around twenty-four instead of eighteen.

As far as her hair went, she had it cut into layers and just high enough so that it tickled the base of her neck. For the time period, it was a rather odd and untraditional but, she looked good with it and received compliments all the while (despite the fact she had cut it herself).

* * *

As the train pulled into the station, the three alchemists stood up. Edward yawned and stretched, reaching into the overhead compartment and pulling out two traveling trunks. He scratched the back of his head and glanced at Nikki as she draped her jacket over her arm, holding the book and pen in the same hand. 

Alphonse took a traveling trunk, swinging it effortlessly over his shoulder. "I can't wait to see Elysia! I'm sure she's gotten big!"

Edward turned his head, looking up at his brother. "One can only assume, Al. I mean, three years is a long time."

Nikki smiled softly. She had missed Glacia and Elysia. She often wondered what it would be like to go back and sit in her old room, eat dinner, sit in the backyard. She longed for it so much that it made her throat tight and a knot form in her stomach.

Finally, after having been silent and consumed in her work through the entire last half of the train ride, Nikki smiled. "Well what are we waiting for, then? Come on, let's go!" With that, she hurried from the compartment, the Elric brothers chuckling and hurrying out behind her.

* * *

The welcome back was brief, cut short by a blonde ball of energy darting from the confines of the house and tackling Nikki to the ground, arms locked tightly around her neck. 

Laughter erupted from the small group of people standing in the doorway of the Hughes house. Nikki pushed herself up into a sitting position while Ed took it upon himself to gather up her book, pen and coat. Giving the dirty-blonde girl a pat on the head, she rested her hand there. "Well, well... Haven't _you_ grown up?"

Elysia giggled and grinned, looking up at Nikki with her greenish-yellow eyes; ones she had inherited from her father. "I sure have! You've grown up too!"

Glacia laughed as well. "She's right, Nikki... You _have_ grown up. You all have." Gently, she tugged on the back of Elysia's shirt, pulling her up off of Nikki to let her up. "Let's all go inside and have some lunch."

* * *

"Tell me... Why wasn't I surprised when I saw the first book you released?" Glacia teased as she set down saucers and cups in front of Edward and Nikki. Her soft eyes traveled to the brunette and an ever-present smiled played on her face. 

Nikki laughed and rubbed the back of her head, eyeing the honey-coloured tea. "Heheh... Well, I mean... I thought I should put my knowledge to good use. I mean, I know that publishing books when you're an alchemist is a dangerous thing to do, but since I'm not a State Alchemist, I can't be penalized..."

Edward laughed and folded his arms with a grin. "Besides, she's got Mustang wrapped around her little finger! Blackmailing left and right!"

Nikki frowned and nudged the boy beside her. "It's not _blackmail_... It's..." She thought for a moment before slowly, forming the word. "Insurance..." She then closed her eyes and nodded, her hair falling into her face as she agreed with herself.

The three older people at the table laughed, leaving Elysia to hum to herself while she ate a piece of the apple pie that had followed the lunch. Glacia shook her head and then took a seat at the head of the table. "Yes, I suppose that is _one_ way to look at it."

Edward laughed. "Yeah, though needless to say, Mustang really hasn't bothered with Nikki the past couple years. He was on her back for months with the first book, but he finally got preoccupied." A sly grin.

The Elrics and Glacia laughed once more and Nikki gave a small smile and a softer laugh, reaching out and gently scratching Elysia's head. The young girl looked up at her surrogate big sister and gave her wide grin before lunging forward to cling to her mid-section.

* * *

As usual, the Central HQ building was busy and loud. People were running around, stacks of papers in their arms and trailing along behind them as they hurried back and forth along the main floor made of marble. 

Edward and Nikki observed the scene carefully before the blonde boy stepped forward, Nikki just a few steps behind. They maneuvered their way through the soldiers and into a not so crowded hallway that was carpeted. At the far end of the hall, near the wall that branched off to a left turn, was a bench. Nikki remembered that bench, recognizing it first and foremost as the spot where she had first met Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes.

Edward nudged her arm gently, noticing that she had started to walk ahead and then stopped. Staring. Transfixed on the bench. At the nudge, she blinked slowly and then turned her head to look at Edward, who was giving her a curious look.

"Are you alright?" he ventured.

With a nod, Nikki brushed the hair that had fallen from her bun out of her eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled reassuringly at the blonde and he returned her smile, knocking on the door to the office before him.

They waited in silence for a moment before a gruff, and somewhat familiar voice was heard from inside, telling the two to wait. There was movement inside and then, finally;

"Come in."

Edward gripped the doorknob with a gloved hand, turned it, and pushed it open. He peered inside and looked around, Nikki craning her neck over Edward to look inside. She wasn't exactly sure why Gran had called them here, or Edward here rather, but clearly she wasn't going to let him go it alone to take whatever heat was coming.

The two entered the office slowly and then jumped when a voice boomed from one end of the room.

"I'm pretty sure I asked _only_ for Edward Elric." The speaker was a large man with dark skin. He was bald and only had a mustache that stuck out straight at somewhat of a downward angle from his upper lip. He wore the normal military uniform, his chest bedazzled with different medals, pins, and honours of all kinds.

Nikki blinked and stepped back behind Edward, ducking slightly to avoid the intense gaze of the older gentleman. She gripped the back of Edward's shirt and he glanced back at her, gently grabbing her wrist and leading her inside, allowing her to follow behind him as she seemed stubborn to walk beside him.

"She goes where I go," Ed replied dryly. He wasn't very friendly with the General as he had been the one to order the procedure with Nina several years ago. To Edward, _he_ was part of the reason Nina had been slaughtered.

General Basque Gran made a sort of grunting noise that seemed slightly agitated. "Fine," he murmured unhappily. "Sit."

The way he said this made Nikki jump. It was more like a yell/command than a suggestion. She slipped into the seat beside Edward's, both chairs facing the desk which Gran sat behind with an air of conceit hovering around him.

Edward arched an eyebrow slowly and a long silence followed, one that made both young alchemists shift uncomfortably. Finally, the blonde teen cleared his throat. "S-.. So,"

Nikki threw him an odd glance as his voice hit an awkwardly high pitch. Edward must have noticed too because he cleared his throat louder and thumped his fist to his chest, before massaging the sides of his neck.

"Ah-heh," he sounded coarsely. "So... Why'd you call us-"

"Me," Nikki corrected, softly.

"_Me_," Ed re-corrected. "Down here..?"

"Well," Gran started. However, he was interrupted by his secretary, a lovely girl in about her late twenties with dark shining hair pulled back into a tight bun, oval frames set on top of her head.

The three all turned their heads to look at her and the General cleared his throat some. "Yes... What is it Juliet?" He asked in a sort of annoyed mutter. That seemed to be his default tone.

"Sir, there is an emergency phone call from Fuhrer President Bradley..." She said softly with a small nod of apology for interrupting.

Nikki and Edward exchanged glances and then looked over at Gran, who muttered some kind of excuse under her breath as he walked from the office. The door closed gently behind the two.

For a long moment, Edward sat with his leg crossed over the other, drumming his automail fingers on the arm of the chair. Nikki's legs were folded in the more sophisticated way and she kept her eyes down while she picked tediously at her nails. She blinked as the chair in front of her creaked and then looked up, releasing a small laugh at Edward. He had moved to sit in the General's chair and was doing a rather bad, yet comical impersonation of him.

"I thought I asked _only_ for Mr. Elric," he boomed in a deep, gruff voice. He had the pads of his index fingers resting on his upper lip, angled downwards to imply an imaginary mustache. Nikki laughed.

"Edward! Don't be so disrespectful!" She chided, though it hardly meant anything, for she was laughing too much.

"Tucker. Tucker. I remember you! You're that girl with the alchemy books! Alchemy from someone your age. Hrumph. In my day such a thing from a woman would be treason!" He ranted. Reaching down, he picked up a folder which had been poorly hidden beneath random paperwork. "Ahha! Let's take a look at your file Miss Tucker!" Ed announced still imitating the General.

Nikki laughed and awaited Edward to continue by mentioning some of the trouble she had helped him cause during their journey. She blinked and a slight look of concern swept over her face as Ed's brow furrowed, his honey-coloured eyes scanning whatever was inside the folder.

"Edward..?"

He didn't respond. Sigh. He never listened when he was absorbed in something, not even to her. She rose from her seat and walked behind him, one hand on the back of the chair, the other on the General's desk as she read. "...?"

Edward rested a hand over his mouth in thought as he slowly set the folder down, open, on the table. Nikki's eyes slipped from the document, to her friend and she leaned forward to look at his face. "Edward..?"

At the moment, he had a very official look. With his hand cupped around his mouth in thought, his brow furrowed, eyes concentrated, and his good arm resting over his abdomen, he could pass as a second Mustang. Nikki arched an eyebrow and then continued to read, gently turning to the next page.

"...Laboratory 5? Wasn't that place closed off years ago? Destroyed? Something or other?" She muttered out loud to no one in particular. She meant it to be a rhetorical question, but looked over at Edward when he spoke up.

"It was _supposed _to have been..." He replied slowly. "Why would they be using it again? Unless this is something only being circulated through a small circle in the military... Maybe it's off the record," he suggested.

Nikki simply watched her friend as he reasoned with himself. She thought it was cute when he did that, even now. She straightened as Edward bowed his head a little, eyes closed while he folded his arms. He blinked when Nikki leaned down a bit, slipping her arms around his neck. He glanced sideways, her chin resting on his shoulder, and smiled.

"So then, FullMetal," she teased. "What's our next move?"

Edward thought for a moment and then looked at her, grinning slyly as she began to play with the his ponytail. "Heheh..."

* * *

The door to the office creaked open five minutes later or so. "I'm sorry for the wait," Gran muttered. "Now... About what I-.." He stared around the empty office and eyed the open folder on his desk, snarling some. "ELRIC."

* * *

Nikki followed Edward through the darkened streets of Central, the only real lights coming from street lamps and café windows which had some night goers sitting around tables, listening to their radios. 

As they passed, Nikki caught the mention of a spreading blood-condition that appeared without warning in women, as well as several reports of girls, about 11-19 in age, going missing and a few who had been being searched for prior were found dead late last night or earlier that day.

Nikki skidded some as Edward turned the corner sharply. She almost missed it but luckily all those years of running around with him had made her not only quick on her feet, but also quite the little street fighter. She was much more athletic, almost as much as she was book smart.

The two alchemists ran down the narrow alleyway, squeezing past the tightly stacked crates and packages that had been discarded by either civilians or the military. Even in the darkness of the alley, it was possible to see a light haze in the distance in the shape of a tall rectangle. Edward slowed down and crouched some as he ran, stopping near the end of the alley to peer around the corner. Once Nikki caught up, she dropped onto one knee, leaning a hand against his back softly.

"Do you see anything?" She asked softly, taking quick sideway glances in the opposite direction.

"Yeah... There are definitely guards out there... I can sort of see one... But there has to be more," he replied in a louder mutter, but not too loud.

"...There aren't any over this way... Why?"

"Dunno... But let's not take any chances. Move back, huh?"

Nikki nodded and stood up, slightly hunched over. She scuffed her feet, backing up.

Ed watched her over his shoulder and then squinted down the alley, his brow furrowed in thought. "Hn... The light... It'll cast onto the wall," he said to himself. "Come on." He walked to Nikki and hurried towards the other end of the alley, stopping a yard or so from the street. He clapped his hands together and pressed them gently to the ground. The blue alchemic light flashed in long strokes, though never went high enough to be seen over the tops of the buildings surrounding the alleyway.

After a quick glance around, Nikki spotted a decrepit crate which she easily snapped a long piece of wood from the siding of. After a moment of digging through the crates and packaging, Nikki also managed to recover a small grate of sorts. Sitting on the ground, while Edward worked on the tunnel, she slipped the piece of wood into a hole of the grate. She set it on the ground and clapped her hands together. The same blue light lashed about, though much smaller in size compared to Edward's. She touched the grate which twisted and contorted until it melted and formed a cup around part of the stick and a round, half-egg shaped steel grate above that.

With a smile, Nikki raised the makeshift torch, admiring her handy work. Glancing over towards the hole Edward had made, she saw him heave himself out some, his white shirt dirty. _Again._ How many times did she have to wash that for him? Oh well...

"C'mon. It's right under the lab. We'll sneak in and sneak out with no problem at all." He grinned triumphantly.

This made Nikki laugh and, with a nod, she stood and hopped into the hole after Edward dropped down again. He sealed the hole in the alley and then sighed at the pitch black tunnel. It took about only 30 seconds before the grate of the home-made torch reddened slightly from a small burning fire. Drawn onto the grate with moist dirt was a Transmutation Circle identical to the one Mustang had sewn into his spark gloves.

Genius, Ed thought. Pure genius. Honestly, what would he do without Nikki? With a grin, he took the torch gently and lead her down the path, farther and farther. Because they just sort of moseyed along, the short 50 yards seemed to take forever. Though, because they were in no real rush, they hardly minded. Edward was just plain curious and Nikki tagged along, as she normally did, to say; 'Edward, don't do anything stupid,' 'Edward, don't break Al, again,' 'Edward, be careful with your automail,' 'Edward watch your-... You saw that hole, right?'. Yep... Nikki was just taking care of her favourite li-... Er... Alchemist, just like always.

That may seem annoying to some, but even though Edward always told her he would be fine, not to worry, and that he meant to do that, he would hate it if she stopped. He loved that Nikki watched out for him and he always watched out for her in return. After he took her to meet Izumi, though, she hardly needed to even watch her own back. Like I said, she was quick.

* * *

Edward grunted as he hoisted himself out of the hole. He scrubbed the mud-like symbol off of the torch and then waved it about sharply before stomping out the fire. He looked around and then looked down towards the tunnel. Reaching down, he pulled Nikki up out of the hole and into the large hall of the laboratory.

He whistled. "Big place... Looks kin'a small from the outside." With a grin he looked over at Nikki and folded his arms. "You alright?"

Nikki gave him a nod and then smiled. "I'm fine. Just a little dirty, that's all."

"Alright, then." Edward gave a nod and then looked around. He turned and looked at Nikki once more. "Think we should split up? It'd be easier that way, don'tcha think?"

Nikki nodded. "Mhmm..." She glanced sideways. "I'll go this way, you go that way. Just-"

"Just go in a straight line, then turn and come back." He grinned.

Nikki wrinkled her nose. It annoyed her when he did that, but she couldn't keep the smile from cracking on her face. "Yeah, yeah... Just go." She teased, waving a hand as she headed for the long corridor to the left.

Edward chuckled and then walked backwards, watching her with a small frown. He didn't like her going off without him. "Be careful."

Nikki turned and smiled, waving again. "You too."

* * *

Nikki got very jumpy, very fast. She kept whipping her head backwards, looking behind her. She could've sworn something was moving behind her. She could've _sworn_. Shaking her head, Nikki took a deep breath and gently pushed the air down with her hands to calm herself. 

_It's all in your head, Nikki. It's all in your head..._

Of course it was. It had to be. Who could move that fast and then hide in plain sight? No one, right? Right. Think logically. Can't lose your sanity, now... Oi... That's a road we don't want to get close to again. Not exactly a summer vacation as you might imagine.

She carefully paced her footsteps, making them slow, then fast, then somewhere in between, keeping them different so that she could catch the echo of a separate pair; a second player. She wasn't thrilled with this lab all of a sudden. At first she was just nervous, but now she was plain scared. There was definitely someone or something in here. Maybe Edward trying to scare her? Yes. That had to be it. No... He wouldn't do that. He knew how she got in situations like this.

With a frown, Nikki glanced from the corner of her eye. No way. If it was Edward, she was going to _kill_ him. I mean, it was only the two of them in this place, right? That's right, Nikki. No one else was here. But then who was following her? Hell... She didn't even know if it was someone or not. But... Better safe then sorry... Right?

Nikki finally slowed to a stop and took a deep breath. "Edward! I told you to go the other way." She turned, her eyes closed and a smirk on her face. "Stop being so childish and-" Her eyes widened once she opened them. She trembled and let out a scream, which echoed through the spacious corridors.

* * *

Edward turned his head, hearing a high-pitched, vague scream reverberate off of the walls around him. His already somewhat nervous face turned into one of panic and he frowned some, fists clenched. "Shit," he muttered. 

Without giving it a second though, he turned on his heels and hurried through the corridor, ponytail swinging behind him. He knew he shouldn't have left her. Dammit. Why'd she have to be so stubborn?!

Stumbling into the main hall from which he and Nikki had started in, he looked around and then eyed the corridor she had exited through. He winced and clenched his teeth, heading towards it. His feet felt like lead and the arch of the corridor approached him slowly.

"Woah, Woah! Where you off to in such a hurry, kiddo?"

Edward came to a stop and turned around, trying to place the voice he had heard, but wasn't sure who it belonged to. Reluctantly, he turned his head slowly, his body following a moment later, staring into the face of someone he sort of recognized, but... Couldn't remember. He furrowed his brow in thought, taking in the strange appearance of the person before him.

The person was, indeed, a boy despite his attire. Edward only made this assumption on the fact that the other's chest was utterly flat. At first glance though, he appeared to be a girl. He wore a shirt that had thin sleeves only covering the shoulder and the top itself only came down to about the middle of his torso. His stomach was bare and was met at his waist by a pair of pants that reached mid-thigh, accompanied by a skirt. Both articles of clothing were black and matched a headband around his forehead, bearing an upside down triangle with circles marking each point and fingerless gloves that reached down past his wrist. To bring the outfit together, he wore a pair of black, open-toed/open backed shoes that were made of cloth and enclosed the rest of his foot, up to the bottom of his calf.

As Edward observed the man, he frowned at the long, dark green hair, the black eyes and a distinct tattoo on the outside of his left thigh, just below the hem of the pant leg. Edward's eyes widened. He remembered from a book Nikki had written; the aurora borealis tattoo, a sign of the humonucli.

Ed's eyes widened and he gripped his fists, clenching his teeth. "You!" He spat. "You killed Lt. Colonel Hughes! Bastard... Bastard!"

The humonculi across from him gave a somewhat feminine laugh. He pressed the fingertips of his left hand to his chest. "_Moi?_ What a perceptive little brat you are," he sneered.

"Envy... I read all about you."

"Yes, yes... That girl you hang around with is quite annoying. She's just as good with receiving information as that Lieutenant Colonel was. Well, no worries." He gave a shrug, hands lifting up slightly as he did. "We've got plans for all of you. Wait until you see how it turns out. You'll never see it coming!

Edward frowned. "Enough! You humonculi are all the same! Toying with innocent people just because you want something!"

"Calm down, there, blondie. No need to get all worked up. Besides, you'll never find her. You won't know if she's alive or dead." Envy gave a large, genuine grin.

"Shut UP!" Edward clenched his fists tightly. "If you touch her, I'll kill you! Do you hear me?!"

"Oooh Such hostility. No need to snap," he teased.

"Bring her back. Bring her here. Now!" Ed demanded.

The grin on Envy's face vanished and turned into a deep frown. "Are you giving _me_ orders, boy? You don't know what you're dealing with. If you want her, you'll have to go through me, first."

Edward smirked and rolled up the sleeves to his shirt. "So be it." He swiftly clapped his hands together and slammed them to the floor. Blue, alchemic light shot through the room, and the floor where Edward's hands were sunk in slightly. He slid one hand directly over the center dip and slowly pulled his hand upwards. Following his hand was a large handle. When it was completely removed from the floor, standing only a few inches taller than himself, it bore a large tribal blade at the end.

Envy frowned and watched as the boy across from him gripped the spear with both hands. "Whenever you're ready," he taunted.

Growling slightly, Envy lunged forward. Edward watched him and waited until the homunculus' foot soared down, only a few inches from his face before quickly rolling to the side. He stopped himself with his automail hand, resting on one knee. Envy turned to him and ran, Edward looked up in time to raise the spear, causing one of Envy's punches to hit it instead of Edward's face. Unfortunately, the alchemist received a blow to the abdomen courtesy of Envy's foot.

Edward let out a retching sound as he somersaulted over the floor, the spear spinning away from his form. Edward cursed, holding his stomach before he looked up at Envy. He raised a hand, grabbing the other's foot to stop his attack. Envy growled and back flipped, freeing himself from the grip of the alchemist.

With both competitors now in a standing position, they eyed one another before running forward, reeling back their arms for a blow to the face.

* * *

Nikki winced softly as she shifted on the cold floor of the lab. She reached up, rubbing her head softly before looking around, the room blurry. Out of habit, she went to push up her glasses, though found no arch over her nose. With a sigh, she felt around the ground, squinting until she gently slapped her hand down onto one of the arms. Relieved, she picked them up and put them on. 

As the room came into focus, Nikki's head spun. The room did actually look like a lab, but one much more sadistic than she assumed it was supposed to be. Along the table a few feet away were various types of tools, one that particularly gave her the chills was used to pry open one's chest cavity. She slowly stood up and ran a hand through her hair.

Along the wall behind her were large containers, if you could call them that. They were similar to the cryogenic freezing units often seen in sci-fi flicks. These were only different in the element that they were filled with a sick, green liquid instead of a freezing solution.

Turning her gaze away from the units, she approached the table, looking at the different instruments. It wasn't really because she wanted to. Honestly, some of the things laid out made chills shoot up her spine and make her scrunch her nose. Mostly, she just wanted to try and get an idea of who had brought her here, maybe what they planned to do. From what she saw so far, it couldn't be good.

Raising a hand to her forehead, she rubbed it slowly. Partly because she was wondering what in the world she had gotten herself into, partly because it ached dully. As she exhaled, she frowned at a thick, warm and sticky liquid on her head. She rolled her eyes gently and wiped the blood onto her pants continuously, trying to get it into the fabric so it didn't show as well.

She walked carefully towards a nearby door and gently tugged the squarely-arched bar that was supposed to be a handle. The metal of the door clunked as she tugged the bar over and over, but the structure itself didn't budge. Frowning, she looked around and carefully surveyed her surroundings to find another way out.

Her eyes moved to the containers against the wall. She arched an eyebrow, noticing a faint movement inside. The substance inside was thick and an almost forest-green colour, not to mention it had a faint fog along the glass, so she couldn't be entirely sure of what she saw, or if she had really saw it. However, Nikki was a person born curious and therefore felt the need to investigate.

Cautiously, Nikki moved towards the container, sort of taking small side steps; one foot in front of the other. She narrowed her eyes slightly and raised an eyebrow, waiting to see if anything would move. She watched for a long while before shaking her head and turning her back to the container. A pale hand reached forward and pressed itself to the curved glass front as Nikki approached the table again. She rummaged through the drawers underneath and tugged harshly on a filing cabinet. There was absolutely nothing stopping her from finding out who was behind all of this and she was planning on tearing the room apart to find out.

Nikki jumped and looked over at the large metal door, which clanked as a bar was raised on the other side. The sound of metal on metal sent a chill up Nikki's spine and toyed with her vision. She frowned and narrowed her eyes, fidgeting at the amount of suspense building up from her feet and quickly rising to her face, which had began to flush a deep red.

The door creaked open slowly and, once the one responsible for its actions stepped into the dim light of the room. Nikki dropped a small glass paper weight that she had removed from one of the cabinet's drawers. It shattered at her feet. The noise was irritating, almost as though each shard hit the ground one at a time and the sound had been amplified twenty times over.

Feeling herself tremble, she willed herself to move back, make a run for it, do _something_. _Anything_. However, she was frozen. Her face had lost all colour, giving it a very dulled tan look and her hair swung down into her face in long wisps. Finally, after what seemed like hours, her mouth fell open. She tried to swallow, but her entire oral cavity was too dry to accomplish something like that. At length, she exhaled and then took a deep, shaky breath through her mouth.

"...You..."

* * *

Edward grunted as he pressed one hand to the floor, his feet angled to one side in a crouched position as he slid sideways across the floor. He gripped the spear tightly in his hand and pushed away from the ground, the tip of the blade sparking along the floor as he charged at Envy, who had simultaneously risen from the same position. 

The two practically collided. Less than a foot was between them as Edward raised his spear, gripping it with both hands at a horizontal position almost level with his eyes. Envy weighed down on it as he gripped onto the handle, eyes glaring down at Edward.

"This isn't just a battle of bronze, you know," he hissed with a smirk on his face. "It's a battle of wits... Alchemy... Knowing your opponent's moves and getting inside their mind..." He chuckled. "You're fighting a losing battle, Mr. Elric," Envy breathed spitefully.

Edward glared at him. "...Is that so..?" A smirk made its way onto the alchemist's face as he narrowed his honey-coloured eyes. "Well... I guess I just never learn!"

With a violent swing, Edward sent both Envy and the spear across the room. He clapped his hands together before slapping one down onto his automail. A metallic blade sliced through the air, protruding from his prosthetic as he ran forward. He quickly pushed his weight onto his right foot before leaping into the air heaving his arm back.

Envy hissed as he bashed the back of his head against the wall. He frowned and whipped the spear sideways, sticking it into the corner of the room's floor. He blinked and looked up before letting out a small cry of pain, feeling the piercing sensation of Edward's blade through his left shoulder.

Edward smirked, pressing Envy to the wall. "...Well... I guess that's the way to do it, isn't it?"

Envy's lips curled up into a smile before they both glanced up at a loud scream echoing through the lab.

Forgetting for a minute that he was occupied with Envy, Edward turned his head, gritting his teeth. "Nikki," he hissed.

"Taking your eyes away from the enemy?"

Edward blinked and turned his head before letting out a quick retching sound as Envy sent a fist to his stomach, forcing him and the blade back a few feet. Envy laughed and ran a hand through the front of his green hair, his shoulder sealing up quickly as though it had never been injured in the first place. "We'll finish this some other time, FullMetal." He smirked and narrowed his eyes. "I would hate for you to miss the show..."

Edward gave him a glare full of pure hate as he wrapped one arm around his stomach, wincing.

Envy smirked softly. "Places, everyone..." He laughed before taking off down the hall Edward had originally taken.

Edward blinked and scrambled to his feet, stumbling after Envy. "Wait a minute! Stop!! BASTARD!" Edward slammed his automail fist to the concrete wall, the blade having retracted itself. He huffed loudly and then turned his head. "...Damn." He sprinted back across the main hall and down the corridor Nikki had gone through. Surely she was somewhere down the way... But he found himself wondering whether he would be able to take on whatever waited at the end of the corridor.

* * *

Nikki struggled and grunted softly. Her hair, which had been pulled loose from it's bun, swayed from side to side in front of her face, the fresh ends of her layers swinging softly as she glared at the back (or front) of her captor. 

Whether it was a creature or man was uncertain, even if you saw the front. The captor had a large body, covered in brown fur. It reminded Nikki of a bear. However, there was no head. There was, of course, but not where it was supposed to be. About halfway up the creature's back, there was a v-shape that formed a pelvic dip meeting the abdomen and bare chest of a rather skinny male. There were also the arms of a human, connected to the bear-like arms. No human hands. The human limbs sank into the fur-covered arms like the waist did in the back.

Finally, Nikki glared hatefully at the figure, who turned around. Hate was a word that didn't even come close to the feeling boiling up inside her, making it's way to her throat, causing it to close and her face to brighten into a dark red colour.

When the figure turned around, it was a shock to whoever would be seeing it for the first time. As said previously, the head was not in the right place, but there _was_ a head. It was upside down with a very familiar, sick, twisted face; Shou Tucker. His head was planted on the neck and shoulders of his old body which had merged itself with some poor creature. His ears had also been replaced with that of another creature. Perhaps a fox of some sort. They too were upside down and at a horizontal angle as though the creature they belonged to were permanently in a state of cowardice.

Nikki felt sorry for what ever animals, creatures, whatever that had gone through this. If she were as skilled with her alchemy as Edward and Alphonse, she would have broken out of her binds and blown the entire chimera to smithereens. To save the poor beasts fused to Tucker's body... And to send that sick bastard to hell, because she knew he damn well hadn't gone there the first time.

What was he still doing alive? She watched the military take him away. She _watched_ him drive back towards the chemical shed where they should have blown his ugly, twisted face off and ended everything. But they didn't. Why? _Why?_ Why the hell was he alive? How the hell did the military pull off this sick experiment? Where was the authority?! Where were the soldiers that were going to come and stop him from coming any closer? Where?! What the hell was going on?!

Nikki yanked roughly on the shackles around her wrists, holding them to the arms of the chair. The ones around her ankles and legs of the chair didn't help at all. Dammit. She felt so useless. She was book smart and a relatively quick thinker. But this? Encountering a blast from the past as extreme as this? Ha. Not a situation she believed she could think in. Not because she was afraid. Why should she be scared of him? No. It definitely wasn't that. She _hated_ him. That's what was wrong. She hated him so much.

As he approached, his footsteps made loud rumbling sounds on the floor of the lab. "Now, now, Nikki... What's the matter? I thought you'd be happy to see me. Think of it as a... Family reunion." He grinned.

His voice. Ugh, she hated it. It was a whisper; a high-pitched, raspy version of his former self. One of the many side effects of being on the receiving end of a sick government experiment, she assumed.

Nikki scoffed and clenched her fists. "I _have_ a family and _you_ aren't part of it," she spat.

"Nikki, that hurts me, you know." He continued to grin, his eyes wide and excited, like a child in a candy store (though the excited sparkle was far from innocent). "Come on, now. Don't tell me you haven't missed your father?"

Nikki stared at him coldly for a long time. She leaned back slowly and breathed heavily before closing her eyes with a smile. "You're right... I _have_ missed you, _Dad_. Every day I miss you."

"That's my girl."

"Every day I want to tell you how I feel..." She paused for a moment and opened her eyes, still smiling. She surveyed his curious, expectant eyes and then frowned, her expression turning cold and hateful. "You bastard. You're sick. You're evil. The lowest form of a human being I have ever met. You screw with lives and try to play God by playing science in a lab. I _hate_ you with _every _fiber of my being! I wish _you_ had been blasted into oblivion; a blood splatter on a wall in a filthy, disgusting alleyway! You sick, twisted piece of sh-!"

Envy chuckled, his fingertips digging into the sides of Nikki's face as he clamped his hand over her mouth. "My, my. Isn't she a spirited one!" He giggled.

Shou acquired a dark look, eyeing Nikki. His expression faded back to a neutral look and he smiled. "She takes after her mother. She never did beat around the bush."

Envy grinned and then ruffled Nikki's hair over enthusiastically. "Aww... Like mother, like daughter. How _cute_!" His playful eyes traveled back of to Shou. "Is it ready yet? You've worked on it, yeah? How is it? I wanna see," he whined.

"Yes, yes... It's ready. I'm positive."

"Good! I was getting tired of cleaning up after your messes. All those years... Women with excessive blood conditions, deaths, kidnappings. It was ti-er-ing." He nodded.

Nikki blinked slowly. In a blur of events, her mind rewound itself, traveling back to the day on the train; Michael, the story of his mother's blood condition, the warning of kidnappings in the East, the radio report she had heard while passing the café. Of course... But why?

Shou opened his large, clawed hand. Nikki stared down at a large, thick syringe filled with a dark purple liquid. Small air bubbles floated inside the tube, causing the shade of the liquid to get lighter around the edges of the air pockets. Nikki frowned a little.

Envy grinned and chuckled, ruffling her hair again and tapping the side of her face with his fingers. "See that? That right there is gonna kill you. Well... Maybe not, but it'll be close."

Shou nodded and prepared the needle. "It will numb your body and make your soul highly susceptible to certain things. Once it's injected, we'll use a transmutation circle on you and extract it. The corresponding transmutation circle will be located on Nina."

Nikki blinked and stared at him. "Nn-nna?!" She turned her head this way and that, trying to shake Envy's hand from over her mouth.

Envy glared down at her and gripped her hair tightly with his other hand, still resting atop her head from ruffling her.

Nikki whimpered a little and then looked up at Shou who had turned around again. Now, he was holding something in his arms. It was a small girl, dripping with a thick, green liquid. She had long hair that was a rosey pink colour. She too, like Shou, was partially covered in fur, though she had more human features. It was mostly a human body, but fur covered the arms, leaving the shoulders and wrists and parts of the hands bare. This was only as far as Nikki could tell, though. Shou's massive arm was covering the rest of the girl. Familiar as the girl looked, it was definitely _not _Nina. An incredible likeness, for sure, but it wasn't _her_ Nina. Nina's face was rounded, like a baby. This one was as well, but in a different way that Nikki couldn't place.

The girl turned her face a little, looking at Nikki. She had small brown patches of fur on her cheeks that ran from the sides of her face. Her eyes were a dark, night-sky blue and utterly lifeless. She appeared dead, but was alive at the same time.

Nikki felt herself tremble a little and continued to repeat to herself, in her head, that it wasn't Nina. It couldn't be. She _saw_ what was left of Nina seven years ago on a wall in an alleyway. This thing, though she felt bad for thinking it, was _not_ her sister.

Shou brushed slimy, wet hair from the child chimera's face. "...Haven't I done a good job this time? She's almost completely human... She will do. She looks just like her, doesn't she?" He looked at Nikki, grinning. "...Almost perfect. Unfortunately, all she needs now is a soul. None of the other souls would work. They were not similar enough. And all the other times, the injection caused freak accidents. I've got it right this time... And putting the soul of her sister into the body will make her just like new!" He smiled.

Nikki blinked and frowned. No. No way. What made him think _that_ Nina would care about him? He destroyed the real one! He destroyed this one, too though it wasn't as bad. Or was it? Nikki clenched her fists tightly and struggling, now slurring cuss words left and right as Envy hoisted her shirt up towards her shoulders. He pressed his hand roughly against her shoulder as he pressed a paintbrush covered in cold paint to the center of her chest right below her collar bone. She was surprised at how strong he was and shivered as the paint touched her skin. In a swift motion that hardly lasted more than a few seconds, he pulled the brush away.

There was a transmutation circle painted on her chest. It resembled the one used for Human Transmutations but there were subtle differences that, obviously, changed it's purpose for the rapidly approaching procedure.

Nikki tried to fight him off as Tucker approached, but the body he had newly acquired was unaffected. Nikki's eyes traveled to the Chimera-Nina, who was sitting on a nearby desk, staring hopelessly at the floor. Nikki then looked back at Shou and winced when he grabbed her forearm. His massive hand practically covered the whole thing and his grip was strong. She winced and glanced down as he rolled the sleeve of her coat up, the veins in the crook of her arm protruding slightly from the pressure. Slowly, he pushed the head of the needle into the largest of the veins, a bead of blood blooming from around the silver point.

Nikki clenched her teeth tightly. Of course she had gotten shots before, but this one was utterly painful. It felt like her body was trying to force the needle out. And the pressure put on the pump on the end of the syringe made it hurt even more, almost like Shou was pushing the entire needle into her arm. She breathed heavily and shut her eyes, clenching her fists as the contradictory tickling feeling of blood running over her arm, around towards her elbow stopped suddenly. She could no longer feel the pressure of Shou's hand around her arm or the quick, heavy rising of her chest. For a moment thought she had stopped breathing. She inhaled sharply and lost her breath, realizing the injection of the fluid had taken an instant effect; her body went numb.

Her head felt too heavy to turn straight and look at Shou, so she kept it turned to one side. It was even a struggle to open her eyes. When she had finally gotten them to slide open, they still felt like they were closed and her eyelids felt like they were preparing to slide down off of her face. The feeling was intense and was felt through her entire body. It just felt unnatural, like her skin was melting heavily right off of her bone structure. She felt like lead; dead weight strapped to a chair. It kind of reminded her of a bad trip to the dentist; one where he accidentally gives you an OD of Novocaine.

Shou turned and walked back towards Nina. Nikki could hear him thumping and trudging along the floor. The sound caused a painful and violent ringing in her ears, but she couldn't quite see what was going on. Her glasses were directly in front of her eyes but her vision seemed permanently blurred.

"Right... Now, you stand here." A distorted whisper spoke to a black, pale white, and green figure beside her and the figure obeyed, his voice equally distorted. The large brown and white mass approached Nikki. She found herself unable to think straight but knew what was coming. With quick, but extreme effort, Nikki gave her body a violent jerk so that she fell forward in the chair, her wrists still clamped to the arms. Her head fell forward, almost hitting her knees and her wrists dug into the sides of the rusted metal shackles. God, it was painful. She felt like her neck and spine were going to snap. She just felt so heavy, so useless... Like she was dead, but alive at the same time.

At length, she let her eyes slide closed and was relieved at the release of the back-breaking pain when Shou pushed her upright again. She knew somewhere in her mind that she hated being touched by him, but couldn't, and wouldn't say or do anything to prevent him from doing so.

Taking a long, deep breath in, she opened her eyes a bit and caught the movement of a partially black, lacey mass rising and falling with her slow breathing. She eyed the brown, furred hand approaching the dark red transmutation circle on her chest and let her head fall to one side as she felt herself slip out of consciousness in succession with a loud, earth-shaking, bang.

Tucker's hand hovered in midair as he blinked and eyed a large gaping hole in the wall of the lab. As the dust settled, a large figure straightened, his muscular build twitching slightly as he draped the shirt to his military uniform over his left shoulder. Flexing his fingers from behind the steel, spiked gloves he wore, Alex Louis Armstrong stepped through the mass of rubble that had gathered at the floor.

Behind him, several familiar faces appeared once the scene calmed. Colonel Mustang's team, along with the Colonel himself and Edward, stood in the hallway running along the wall that hid the lab.

Roy Mustang stepped forward, one hand in his pocket, the other one gloved and clenched by his side as he approached Tucker and the others. "...Shou Tucker," he muttered spitefully. With a slow breath, his voice grew deeper, more authoritative. "By order of the Eastern State Military branch, you are under arrest."

Shou grinned wryly. "My, my... How fortunate that Colonel Mustang himself just so happened to be in Central... Now of all times." His eyes slid over to Edward. "Ah, and Mr. Elric as well... Why, Edward... You've gotten so big. So much older. Thank you for taking such good care of my daughter."

Riza stepped up beside the colonel, her head cocked to one side as she eyed both Shou and the small sight that was raised on the barrel of her handgun. She frowned slightly, eyes narrowing. The same position had been taken by Jean Havoc and Vato Falman, who remained where they were.

Roy frowned deeply and gripped the shoulder of the blonde alchemist as he stepped forward. Edward wincing and glared up at Roy, who simply tightened his grip. With his dark eyes burning into Shou's distorted features, he spoke through gritted teeth. "Why don't you step away from the girl?"

"Step away? But she's my daughter!" Shou said in a mock, raspy surprise.

Edward frowned and glared at Shou. "Shut up! Get away from her!"

Shou frowned at Edward. "No need to shout. I'll step away from her as you instructed as soon as I..." He trailed off as his hand traveled back to the transmutation circle on her chest.

A loud bang came from the group and Shou drew back his hand, which was bleeding. A bullet clanked onto the ground as the barrel of Riza's gun smoked. "...Next time, Mr. Tucker, I won't be so generous..."

Shoe frowned. "I can see that we are not going to agree..." He took a step backand turned some to look at Envy for help. Unfortunately, the homunculi had vanished. He blinked and then glared, looking over at the group from behind his glasses. "...You have no authority here... My permission for these experiments come from-"

A soft clinking was heard as something bounced along the floor. The small grenade spun rapidly as smoke shot from the broken cap. The group immediately seized their mouths, coughing and squinting until the smoke faded and the lab was left empty of everyone except for themselves and Nikki.

**A/N: YOSH! Summer vacation! Given the light of this joyous break, I might even be able to finish the entire fic :O! We're more than halfway through. How great/sad is that? ;D Oh well... Might be a sequal. Still can't decide. Curse me! But, be sure to look out for random Naruto fics. (I hate the dubs, so expect to see characters you don't know). Anyway Until next time -hearts-**


	12. XII: CRUSH & the Fuhrer's Contrivance

**A/N: Three... Months... Internet... Withdrawal... -dies-. So... My laptop's motherboard crashed and I lost freakin' everything... I lost useless stuff like school work... AND all the important stuff! Like my secret chapters for this fic! And my AMV's! And, and, and -falls into spiraling depression-. Well... I got a new chapter up... And it's 3:00 AM. Officially December 2****nd****. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME:3 Enjoy!  
Edit: This is an eerily short chapter O-o... The next will be longer. PROMISE.**

Nikki stared out her window at the orange sunset that drown Amestris's Central city in an almost golden light. She tilted her head slightly, the light catching in her glasses and reflecting gold specks in her violet eyes. She blinked slowly and raised an eyebrow when the door to the dorm room creaked open. She turned around and looked Edward from her seat on the bed and gave him a small smile.

"Hi..."

Edward flashed her a grin as he pulled off his jacket and draped it over the chair, on top of hers. "Hey." He approached the bed and sat beside her. "How are you? You didn't eat at dinner..."

"I know... I'm alright, but... Still just a little shaken... I mean..." She rubbed her face, sliding her hand under her glasses. "He's alive... And the military..."

Edward leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. "Yeah... It's a little disturbing... But the Colonel, I hear, has been promoted here on the Fuhrer's request."

"...The Fuhrer...? As in President King Bradley?"

"Yup. The same; the one and only."

Nikki rubbed her forehead softly. "Hm... Strange."

"Yeah..."

There was a long silence, broken finally by Nikki's hesitant voice. "...Edward..?"

He glanced over at him, his ponytail hanging over his shoulder. "Yeah..?"

"...Have... Have you ever stopped to consider that... We may be on the wrong side?"

He stared at her for a while and then frowned. "I don't think that we're on the wrong side... So much as I think the side we're on is corrupted..."

Nikki looked out the window with a small frown. "...But where... And how?"

Ed shook his head and followed her gaze outside to the darkening sky. "...That's the question isn't it?" he muttered softly.

With a heavy sigh, Nikki leaned back, putting her weight onto her hands and tilting her head to the side. Edward watched her carefully and sat up straight before turning to face her, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly at the fact that she didn't seem to feel his eyes boring into her.

"Nikki..." Edward was relieved to see her finally looking over at him and gave her a small, nervous smile.

"What is it?"

"...Well... I know that you might've forgotten... But... Do you remember... A few years back... At, um... Hughes's house... And-"

"...I know exactly what you're talking about, Edward... And... I do remember... What about it?"

Edward took a deep breath. Well... She remembered. No way to drop the subject now. "...Well... I mean... What'd it mean? I mean," he chuckled nervously, scratching his head. "We were kind of young and, like... Well... You know... Just... Kind of wondering."

"Honestly, Edward... I... I've always kind of wondered the same thing... But I was always too nervous to ask you about it... And I was kind of afraid of what you'd say."

Edward's face turned a bright red as the blood rushed to his cheeks. "Heheheh... Well, well... Small world." He rubbed his cheek with the tip of a gloved finger and stared up at the corner where the ceiling met the walls. _Damn, that's a nice corner..._ "So, um... What d'you think we should do about this?"_ Yup... No cobwebs... Nothin'. Damn nice..._

Nikki wrinkled her nose. Like she had any idea? What were they _supposed_ to do? Get married and live happily ever after? Military personnel didn't live that way... Well... At least not the ever after part...

The silence was loud and pounded against Nikki's eardrums. Finally, she sighed and picked up her hands, falling against the mattress, her head in the pillow as she swung her legs onto the bed as well.

She felt the weight on the bed shift and opened her eyes as she felt the bed around her sink, looking up at Edward who was hovering over her. She couldn't help but laugh a little. "Hi."

Edward grinned stupidly. "Hi."

Nikki laughed, exhaling through her nose as she closed her eyes for a moment and then tucked layered bangs behind her ear. She tilted her head back, to look at Edward again and gave a small 'eep' when he caught her mouth with his.

For a moment, she stared wide-eyed at nothing before her muscles relaxed, her eyes slid closed, and she found herself kissing him back deeply. Edward tilted his head slightly, feeling her hands running along his neck slowly. In response, he lifted one of his own hands from the mattress and slipped the fabricated limb under her, cupping the back of her neck.

Edward felt the blood rush from his face to between his legs in a matter of seconds and resorted to propping himself on his automail elbow as he pushed his waist against her own. They let out small, mutual moans of satisfaction and Nikki felt Ed's hand travel from her neck to the front of the stomach, slipping his fingers under her shirt and sliding against her skin.

Edward stopped his hand momentarily and pulled it from her shirt. He broke the kiss and gripped the middle finger's sleeve in his teeth, pulling the glove off. After depositing it on the floor, he took her mouth against his again, allowing his fleshed hand to slide up her bare stomach, sliding the fabric up with it. He brushed his fingers over the base of her ribcage and groaned as her back arched up, pressing her front against him.

Finally, Edward reached the firm base of her laced bra, tracing the skin around it before he slid his hand onto one of her breasts and gave a soft squeeze. Nikki responded by opening her mouth and moaning softly, her legs spreading a little wider from the arch she had made in her back.

Neither of them were sure how long they had gone for, and neither of them had really cared. All that registered was that it was incredible. For what seemed like forever, they'd ridden a roller coaster of orgasms, Nikki digging her nails into the semi-scarred flesh on Ed's back while he tore the sheets from the mattress around Nikki's head.

Nikki glanced up as she lay on her back, staring at the line of chipped paint on the wall from the movement of the headboard. She moved her hair from the thin sheet of sweat moistening her forehead and closed her eyes, breathing heavy as she shifted the sheet around her bosom a bit more. She looked over at Ed, whose ponytail had gone from perfect, to lop-sided, to non-existent.

Edward's chest rose and fell slowly, his breathing just as heavy as Nikki's and both arms behind his head. He blinked, feeling the mattress shift and he looked over at Nikki, who turned to face him, pressing against his side and resting her hand on his chest. His lips curved into a smile and he slid his left arm from behind his head, wrapping it around her and pressing his mouth to the top of her head, smelling her fragrant hair and smiling contently.

"What now?" Nikki spoke softly, feeling that if she spoke too loudly, her voice would crack and become lost.

Edward nuzzled against the top of her head and then looked at the ceiling. "Well... I can only think of one logical thing that comes after this..." He smiled back down at the girl wrapped in his arm and she looked at him with semi-squinted eyes (her glasses had been removed prior). She watched him curiously and then her face turned beat red, heart pounding as her smile turned into a love-struck and incandescently happy grin.

* * *

"The outskirts, sir?"

"You heard me, Lieutenant. Make sure he gets the file by tomorrow."

"Well... How long will he have to do this for, exactly? You know they only really came here in the first place to visit Glacia and Elysia. Putting Edward to work is kind of a slap in the face during a 'vacation'... Don't you think? ...Sir?"

Riza flipped through a manilla file slowly, her eyes scanning over the reports on the outskirts of the Central City, where a new gang that picked up the old habit of blowing railroad tracks and holding up passengers were gathered.

Roy stared out the new window, with a new view, in his new office, while sitting in his new chair... Which he claimed was softer and didn't make his ass hurt as much as the cheap pieces of shit at Eastern Command. Even when he was practically golden for a promotion, he still found something to complain about... Whether it was a comparison or the fact that Riza was letting Black Hayate roam through the office.

"It's something to keep him out of trouble here... He can be as reckless as he wants in the outskirts that way... He won't be alone. Al can go... And if he _really _wants, he can take Nikki with him."

Riza closed the file, attached it to her clipboard, and nodded. "Of course, sir. I'll deliver it ASAP."

"Hawkeye... Tell the men that the Fuhrer wants to hold some kind of... Social... Event... Thing."

Riza arched an eyebrow. "...'Social event... Thing'?"

Roy sighed and turned in his chair, facing her and slouching. "Yeeeaaaah," he replied in annoyance. "Some formal... Thing for the employees and civilians... Trying to play off all this bullshit that's going on."

"Trying to make the soldiers and people feel comfortable?"

"I guess so..." He rubbed his face with his hand. "Stupid..."

"Sir, I know it's habit of you to question our superiors, but you should at least try to respect their decision... Perhaps President Bradley is right in holding such a thing... Just to make everyone feel better... Especially with all the... 'Bullshit'... Going on... I think we could _all_ use a relief... Don't you?"

Roy sighed, propping his elbow on the desk, his chin in his hand. "...I guess," he muttered.

* * *

Caine removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. It was so late. How did he get stuck with all this paperwork? It was Breda's job, not his. Besides, he wanted to see how Nikki was. He was so worried about her that everyone had started making fun of him. Ah, but he didn't care... Caine was well aware that he had been totally smitten over Nikki since the day they met. He could still remember what she was wearing and the expression she had on her face when she saw Breda huddled against the wall in fear of Black Hayate. He smiled fondly, tapping the fountain pen, which squirted ink on the desk.

"D'ah!!!" He jumped up and began pulling open drawers and rummaging through the office. He bolted to the desk and picked up the stack of papers he was working on. He sighed and eyed the pool of ink before transferring to the desk beside him. He'd clean it up before he left.

He didn't know why he was doing this... He may have spent all day usually behind a desk, but desk work wasn't his speciality. He frowned, longing to go home and mess with that old radio he'd found in one of the storage rooms. He fidgeted, half wanting to submerge himself in technical work, half wanting to go search for Nikki and ask her to go to dinner... Ah, but after that incident at Lab 5? She wouldn't be up for it... He'd wait a while... Besides it was late... Almost ten...

Caine removed his square glasses and untucked the white shirt of his uniform, cleaning the lenses off on the corner of the fabric. _ I should head home soon..._ He set them back on his face and folded his arms, leaning back and frowning at the papers. He sighed heavily and hung his head. "Why me?"

**A/N: Well... This was supposed to be that raw, hawt, secks chapter... But as you can see, it's not... I decided to make it a "blink and you miss the insinuation" chapter instead and focus on a brilliant filler chapter I created 20 minutes ago!**

**Isn't Caine adorable?**

**Don'tcha wanna just give him a big ol' hug?!**

**I love the relationship between him and Nikki... I'm considering a fanfic where the romantic focus is on them... Although I'm not sure. Input, huh guys:3 **


	13. XIII: Hostage Hearts, Session One

**A/N: Right, well.. I did promise this chapter would be long! And a second installment in the same month?! Get ooouuut! I hope you guys like this chapter. It's full of that "OMG what next" drama that rots your teeth. At least **_**I**_** think so. It's late, though... And I haven't been getting sleep lately on account of emotional instability. I was determined to put up this chapter, though... Even though I almost fell asleep writing the last 5 paragraphs or so... I was much too tired to go back an edit it, so forgive typos/mistakes.**

**WARNING. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEMI-GRAPHIC CONTENT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.  
**

"...A dance..."

"Yes, Havoc... That's right... A dance."

Jean Havoc sighed and rubbed his face with his hand, covering his eyes as he gripped the cigarette between his teeth. "Ah, geeze... The Fuhrer's lost his damn mind..."

Breda chuckled, hands on his waist as he approached Havoc and slapped him on the back. "Haha! Don't look so upset! Why don't you go and ask that girl at the Flower Shoppe to go with you?!"

Jean looked over his shoulder at Breda, and arched an eyebrow. "You mean Melissa..?" He was quiet for a minute before his face lit up. He returned Breda's slap on the back. "Hey! That's a great idea!! I bet she looks great in a dress!" He grinned.

Vato Falman watched the group with a raised eyebrow and ruffled his hair before looking over at Caine, who was diligently working on getting the stain out of the desk from two days before. His jacket was draped over his chair, his white shirt sleeves rolled up to reveal semi-muscular forearms. His eyebrows were knit and his hand bright red as he scrubbed the ink stain.

"Take it easy, Fuery..." Falman stood from his seat. "Any more scrubbing and you'll break your hand open."

Caine looked at his comrades. Even Riza was looking at him sympathetically. "Heheh... R-right... Sorry. I just feel bad about staining their furniture." His face fell and he adjusted his glasses.

Havoc approached the younger officer and laid an arm over his shoulder. "Nah, I think you're just nervous." Havoc grinned and took the cigarette from his mouth, holding it between two fingers while he rested the back of the hand on his waist.

Breda came up on Caine's opposite side, draping his arm over his other shoulder. "Yeah, you seem kin'a tense... Who're _you_ gonna go with?" He grinned slyly.

Caine sweatdropped and cleared his throat. "W-Well... I dunno yet."

Havoc clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk ,tsk." He wagged a finger back and forth. "But you have to know who you're gonna ask. Or at least have some vague idea."

Caine looked down, the tops of his cheeks turning pink. "Well..."

Breda laughed. "Ah! I know just who he wants to ask! It's so obvious! Hahaha!"

Riza watched them, arms folded lightly. She exchanged looks with Falman and then two chuckled a little. It really was very obvious... And although it wasn't like Riza to tease people, she did find it somewhat cute that Caine, someone in their mid twenties, was acting like a nervous teenager.

The two men were about to take another stab at their vulnerable companion, when a soft knock sounded at the door.

Everyone turned their attention towards it and watched as it opened, Nikki's head popping into the room with a bright smile. "Hi."

Jean and Breda grinned, looking from one another, then down to Fuery. They all turned back to Nikki as she disappeared and brought into two large brown bags full of food setting them on the nearest desk.

"Thought you all could use some lunch." She smiled and then looked over at them. "Hold on... There's another bag in the hall still..." She walked out the door once more, leaving the men in the room with dumbfounded looks.

Jean cleared his throat. "...Right, so... Is anyone else, like, in love with her?"

Even though they all continued to stare at the door, four hands, including Jean's shot up. Riza watched them and shook her head, walking to the door to open it up for Nikki.

When she set the third bag on the table, the men ambushed the table, digging through the bags, the smell of Chinese food wafting through the air as the opened the packages. Riza waited until everyone had picked out what they planned to eat... She knew better than to try and get something when they swarmed.

Nikki also picked out a small Lo Mein and a pair of chopsticks. She took the open seat between Havoc and Fuery. Riza, on the other hand, took a seat at her desk while she ate, going over a report from Edward and Al.

The whole lunch was very good; just like old times. Just sitting around, listening to all of their stories of how Mustang was a slacker, how Jean still couldn't hold a relationship, how Breda managed to hide himself in the closet 5 days ago when Black Hayate came to visit, and how Falman was starting to read the dictionary again. Aside from all that, they seemed hellbent on picking on Caine. She felt sorry for him, but when his face turned red and he gave nervous laughter, she couldn't help but giggle, which made him laugh even more.

Finally, the food containers were strewn all over the office and the officers sat rubbing their stomachs and grinning stupidly, still carrying on conversations.

It took about five minutes after the food had been eaten for Jean to stand up. "Well," he exhaled and removed a fresh cigarette from his breast pocket. "I'm gonna go and check on the Lab 5 crew... Gotta keep tabs and all... Why don't you guys come with me?"

He gave a sly grin in Falman and Breda's direction. They both smiled and stood, obediently walking after him towards the door. Riza watched them and then threw her gaze towards the confused Nikki and the devastated Caine.

Caine was secretly praising Riza for not leaving him alone. He let out a small sigh and rubbed his eye. His head shot up when he heard a chair scrape across the floor. Riza picked up the report she was reading. "I should give this to the Colonel... He's been waiting for it."

Caine's face fell into disbelief. Not Lt. Hawkeye too! She couldn't leave him like this! Well, apparently she could, because Nikki smiled and waved goodbye before the door closed with a soft click.

There was a silence, where Nikki was picking at the remaining rice in the box she was eating from and Black Hayate pawed softly at Caine's leg. His back end wiggled back and forth with his tail as he bobbed up and down, preparing to jump onto MSG Fuery's lap.

Caine let out an 'oof' as the dog hopped onto him. He wasn't exactly a lap dog... But he wasn't enormous, either. With a sigh he pet the dog's head as the animal tried to stick his nose into Nikki's box of rice.

"Um... Nikki?" Caine started slowly, and hesitantly.

Nikki looked over at him, her chopsticks in her mouth. "Hm?" She blinked and looked at the box, which was now over Hayate's nose. She sweatdropped and sighed, taking the chopsticks from her mouth and chewing the rice.

"Well, um... There Fuhrer is organizing this... This thing... Um... Dance... Thing..."

Nikki eyed Caine curiously and then blinked. "...Uh-huh?" She tilted her head.

"So..." He scratched the back of his head. "If you're not busy... It's... Tomorrow night... And I was just... Wondering... Maybe... If you're not too busy... It's tomorrow and..."

Nikki giggled. "Caine, you already said that." She smiled.

Caine looked at her. "Wha-?" He blinked and then jumped, blushing a bright red. "Oh! Right! Well, um, y'know it's just... I was sorta... Hoping I could, maybe, if you're not going with anyone else or something..."

Nikki blinked and then smiled, eyes closed as her cheeks tinted red. "Oh, um... That-... That's really sweet Caine... Um... I don't think I'm doing anything..." She glanced sideways, rubbing the back of her neck.

Caine's face lit up. He looked at Nikki and grinned a little. "R-... Really? So... So you'll go? With me, I mean?" This was so great! Did he really just ask a girl out? And not just any girl, but Nikki. She had said yes, too! ...Well... He hoped that was what she said... But... What else would that mean? She would think about it? Oi... Girls were sort of complicated.

Nikki looked over at him and blinked, then smiled, and giggled. "Sure... I'd-... I'd love to."

Caine grinned and laughed a little, rubbing the back of his neck. _SHE SAID YES!_ "That... That's great. That-... Wow. Thanks! I mean..."

Nikki watched him with a look of amusement. For a 26-year-old guy, he sure acted a lot younger. But she liked that about him. It wasn't because he was immature, just that he was so sweet he _couldn't_ act his age. Hm... Wait... She should tell Edward... Oh, she'd do it when he came back.

She glanced at her watch.

Which was right now!

Nikki stood up and looked down at Caine. "I should get going. I promised Ed that I'd buy him lunch when he came back from the outskirts."

Caine nodded and went to stand up, Hayate jumping onto the floor. Caine stood about a foot taller than her... But most people did. He smiled and slid his hands into the pockets of his blue pants. "Alright... So... Um... What time should I... You know... Come to get you? The um... The thing starts at eight..."

Nikki blinked and tilted her head. "...Um... About... Quarter after, then..?"

Caine grinned. "Right... That sound great!"

He looked like a kid at Christmas. How _could_ she say no to him? He was, like, her best friend. Even though they rarely saw one another, they were too nice, too friendly with one another to _not_ be friends.

Nikki laughed a little and folded her hands behind her back. "Alright, then... I'll be at Glacia's house, I expect... But... I'll let you know if I'll be in the dorms."

Caine couldn't wipe the stupid grin off his face. "O-Okay."

* * *

Nikki opened the door to the dorm room slowly and poked her head in. Edward was exhausted, judging by the way he was sprawled on the bed, almost spread eagle, save for the arm draped over his for head. His mouth hung open and he was snoring loudly. Maybe she never noticed that he snored, or maybe he could subconsciously control it depending on whether he was alone or not. Snoring or not, though, she still found him adorable. A giggle escaped her as she turned and closed the door. She heard a violent break in Edward's easy snoring pattern and realized that the sounds had jerked him awake.

"Mmm-nah-huh?" Edward rubbed at his eyes as he stared lazily towards the door, propped up on one elbow.

Nikki smiled at him and walked over to the bed, hands returning to the folded position behind her back.

A sloppy, tired grin appeared on Ed's face, his eyelids still heavy with tiredness. "Hey there, you," he drawled out through a yawn.

"Long day?" Nikki tilted her head as she walked around the bed to sit right on the edge beside him.

Ed let out a sigh and slipped his hands behind his head as he laid on the bed. "Mm... Longer than I'd like it to be..." He grinned slyly and turned onto his side, snaking an arm around her waist. "Care to join me in bed?" He raised his eyebrows enticingly, pulling her back lightly.

Nikki let out a squeal and brought her knees to her chest, nose wrinkling as she laughed. "Stop!" She whined.

Edward grinned and chuckled, kneading his fingers into her side which released small squeaks of a ticklish child. She giggled. "Edwa-a-ard. Stop! I mean it! I have to talk to you!" She managed through giggles.

"Alright, alright," he replied, chuckling himself. He slid his hand to the jut of her hip bone, tapping it softly. "What's up, huh?"

Nikki inhaled, her smile remaining as she composed herself. "Well... Have you heard about that... Get-together thing the Fuhrer is having here?"

Ed nodded. "Yup. Sure have." He frowned. "Sorry I can't take ya... Mustang's working me like one of his dogs," he growled.

She giggled and slipped her index finger over the curve of his jaw bone, resting her hand on his chest after fixing the half-popped collar of his shirt. "It's alright... See... Someone kind of asked me to go with them."

Another frown creased in Ed's forehead and he narrowed his eyes some. "Who?"

"...Caine? And... I told him I would go..."

Edward's upper lip was screwed in thought. He removed his hand from her hip lightly and rolled onto his back again, arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. He wrinkled his forehead at the ceiling. He made a noise from the back of his throat. "...Can't you tell him you have things to do?" he muttered.

Nikki smiled in faint amusement at his jealousy. "Like what?"

"I dunno... Like... Washing your hair or something..."

A belly laugh escaped her. "Washing my hair? I like to think I take care of myself enough to not have washing my hair be a 24-hour job!"

Edward blinked and then snorted, letting out a laugh. "Haha, sorry. I like you hair." He closed his eye and grinned, eyeing her. "It smells nice."

Nikki laughed a little and shook her head, taking her hand from his chest and resting it on her knee. "You're so weird..."

"Yeah, I know." He pressed his fingers to his pectorals. "One of my many fine qualities." He let out a sigh at length, laying his hand flat.

There was a silence and Nikki leaned her head forward a little. "So_Dad_... Can I go?"

Edward's face screwed to something between jealousy and discomfort. His features relaxed as he closed his eyes and sighed. A warm smile spread on his face. "You'll need a nice dress..."

A grin spread from one side of Nikki's face to the other. "Thank yoooou" She giggled and leaned down, kissing him on the lips.

* * *

"A dress? God, I don't know what to look for in a dress! I never wear those things! The closest thing I've worn to a dress was the skirt of my school uniform, like 6 years ago..."

Nikki sighed, her chin on the table inside Glacia's kitchen. She turned, laying her cheek on the warm stained and glossed wood. "That and the dress I wore for Maes... But that's the last thing I want to think about," she muttered softly, turning her violet eyes to the reflection of herself in the shined surface.

Glacia giggled and set down an apple pie in the center of the table, removing the oven mitts and holding them in one hand, hands on her waist. "Well... I'm sure Maes wouldn't want the only dress you wear to be one that makes you sad... I'll take you to buy one_after_ you help me with the rest of my baking."

Nikki blinked and looked up at Glacia. "No, no! Please, G-... Mum... I..." She rubbed her head softly. "I don't want you to spend any money on me! You've already done so much already, I mean..." She couldn't accept Glacia's offer... She just couldn't. It wasn't like Nikki. After all the Hughes family had done for her... After all they had gone through, all that had happened... How could she possibly..?"

Glacia giggled. "Nonsense!" She gently bopped Nikki on the crown of her head with the oven mitts. "I'd want nothing more than to buy you a dress..." She smiled warmly. "I know Maes would have loved to see you going to a dance." She put a hand to her face, cupping her cheek, looking like she was going to cry from happiness herself.

Nikki watched Glacia and blinked. "Glaci- Um... Mom... D-Don't cry or anything. I... Y'know... If you really want to we can..." She gave Glacia a faint smile. She was in shock at the fact that she was crying from happiness rather than sadness from missing Maes. Nikki hadn't really gotten over it herself. But, she wasn't one to get over things easily.

Glacia gave Nikki a smile, cupping her chin. "There's nothing that could make me happier." Nikki smiled and glanced sideways at Elysia, who walked into the kitchen with a cookie she'd snatched. Smiling, she hoisted the younger girl onto her lap, combing her fingers through Elysia's dirty blonde locks.

With a soft chuckle, Glacia removed a mixing bowl from the cabinet. "But first, we have to continue baking for the event, yeah?" She threw th girls a dazzling smile, to which they responded with childish grins.

"Which do you like?"

"Oh, I dunno..."

"I like this one!!"

Elysia fluffed the arge pink bows on the skirt of a dress that made Nikki wince. She wouldn't step foot in it at the risk of looking like a pastry.

With a small sigh, she wove through the aisles of dresses; some widely built, and some size 2, others made for infants. She slipped the dressed through her fingers, feeling the vast textures on her skin before sighing softly.

Was she really cut out for all this? She didn't think so... Maybe she would call Caine and... No... She could definitely do this. They were good friends. It was be fun. Yeah. It would be. She'd be around everyone and she might not be able to see them again for a while when she and Edward and Alphonse left.

"Nikki!" Glacia called softly.

Turning her head, Nikki looked over at Glacia and blinked slowly. Glacia was standing near a rack of dresses , a hand raised as she wiggled her index finger slightly, beckoning Nikki over with a smile set on her face.

Nikki followed her towards the back of the boutique and blinked slowly. She opened her mouth a little and smiled some. "Oh... It... Wow... It's so pretty..."

* * *

Caine was fussing nervously in the buggie as it rocked down the street. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, needing to do so in order to keep his sweating palms from slipping and losing control of the vehicle.

"Right," he muttered. "...Relax..." He exhaled slowly, shaking his head as he did so. He slipped a free hand through his hair and felt the heat rush to his face. God, he was nervous... Why, he wasn't so sure...

Maybe it was the fact that Nikki was a good friend he was in love with... Or... Because he was aching to see her again... In a dress.

_Mmm..._

Ah! No! This was Nikki... She wouldn't be interested in that kind of stuff. He could barely even get up the courage to ask her to go with him tonight... Anything else would probably put him in a coma or something. He shook his head.

As he pulled up along the sidewalk in front of the house, he shifted the car into park and slouched against the seat. He removed his glasses and wiped his hand over his face, eyes closed. He needed to keep his head tonight... Just enjoy Nikki's company. She was awesome... Smart... Fun... Pretty... Sexy... Exotic.

A smile crossed his face as he slipped his glasses back on. Maybe he'd get lucky?

He shifted and exhaled through his nose, smile still present and pants feeling tighter than they had a moment ago.

He let out a soft groan and suddenly wished he hadn't left home so early. He shifted again and closed his eyes tighter. The car was suddenly filled with the scent of Nikki's familiar, sweet-smelling soap. He exhaled heavily and pulled the collar of his uniform dress top away from his neck. If his eyes were open, he swore he would've seen steam rise from inside his shirt.

Caine licked his lips, his stomach burning with the idea of pressing his mouth against Nikki's, tasting her salty-sweet lips and managing to pick out some kind of artificial flavour. He let out a guttural moan. He could smell the fragrance of her hair, still as powerful as it had been that day at lunch; lavender... Or something similar... Whatever it was, it smelt incredible. He wound his hips a little, feeling the warmth of her body against his as he found himself longing to bury his face into the crook of her neck to take in more and more of her scent. He loosened his tie a little. God... Was the car getting smaller? Hotter?

Nikki had always been on his mind, and more often than naught, she was the center of whatever fantasies he had. And the amount of those fantasies were able to be counted on his two hands. He couldn't help himself. Nikki was a great person. Thinking about her cheered him up with no fail when he was upset. He was not ashamed to admit that he really loved her... Shy, but not ashamed.

Caine's eyelids had grown heavy and he was panting slowly. He knew he shouldn't, but the gears in his head were already cranking out fantasies. With a soft growl, he loosened the button of his pants and slouched farther into the seat. He felt weight on his chest and wetness on his lips. He felt like he was cradling the weight of a second person on his lap; Nikki.

He rolled his hips a little, suddenly imagining himself sliding quickly in and out of her slick heat. He panted and let out a load groan, his hand ceasing its motion as he tried to catch his breath. He whimpered a little, wiping his face with his clean hand.

* * *

Glacia hummed as she walked to the door, untying her apron as she did so. She opened it, blinking at Caine who was standing in the doorway; fidgeting nervously, red in the face, and looking as though he had run from his house to theirs.

"Oh, Caine," She laughed some. "Don't you clean up nicely." She canned his dress uniform quickly and then stepped aside. "Nikki's still getting ready... She'll be down soon.."

Caine nodded, shifting his weight from one foot to the next. "That's fine, Mrs. Hughes..." He gave her a weak smile.

"Please, come in,": she half-laughed as he seemed to nervous to step inside on his own accord.

Caine nodded again, tapping a box in his hands with his fingertips. "Um... May I please use your bathroom...?" He asked awkwardly.

Glacia smiled. "Of course. Down the hall on your left," she pointed towards the back of the house.

* * *

Caine felt ashamed. His hand were suds up under a waterfall of scorching hot water. He was wrinkling his face in pain at the temperature, but refused to turn it down. He let out a slow sigh, scrubbing his hands until he felt they would bleed.

At length, he turned the faucet off and shook his hands, bright red and shaking from the heat and friction. He dried them on the towel, rubbing them to the point where they felt borderline raw. He sighed again.

Rubbing his face, he leaned back against the sink's counter top. "Sorry,: he muttered. He wasn't sure _who_ he was saying it to... Maybe Nikki, maybe Maes... He didn't know. He stared down at the floor and folded his arms.

Turning slowly, he rolled his sleeves down around his semi-muscular forearms and smoothed them out before smoothing the front of his shirt.

The dress uniform was a dark navy blue, pressed so the creases in the sleeves, shoulders and legs showed. It looked like a modern-day marine dress uniform, except lined with a dark gold. He looked at his polished shoes, dropping to one knee and moistening his thumb with his tongue. He rubbed away a scuff near the toe from when he tripped on his way from the car to the front door.

Standing again, he carefully looked over his pants and swallowed hard. At least he hadn't made a mess... He gave a weak smile and jumped as he head Glacia's voice calling Nikki down.

He quickly grabbed the white box from the counter-top sink. He hurried from the bathroom and sighed, looking at Glacia. She walked over to him and fixed his collar for him and in return, he gave her a sheepish grin. After she had straightened it, they both turned towards the stairs expectantly as one of the doors upstairs opened.

Elysia bolted from the living room, cartoons playing vaguely in the background. She ran to the foot of the stairs, leaving the others in the hall. Caine wanted to move, but his legs had turned to jell-o.

Glacia looked at him and smiled. "Go on, sweetheart." She gently rested a hand on his back, urging him forward.

Caine stumbled ahead and watched Elysia's mouth formed an 'o' shape. He stepped up behind the younger girl and his eyes widened, mouth falling open.

_Wow..._

Nikki was holding the railing softly, her nails shining with a clear polish. Around her left wrist was a bracelet of silver with small sapphires stuck in it. She wore black strappies with silver-lined straps and a 2-2 ½ inch heel. Around her neck was the silver locket, one of the only things she took from her old house. Her dress was simple, but Caine couldn't help but think of how sexy it made her look.

The dress was black and reached to the tops of her knees, revealing her tan, slender legs. The skirt clung to her frame loosely and fluttered a little as she walked. The top of the dress was strapless, wrapping around her bosom snuggly and dipping to the middle of her spine in the back. A soft azure strip of silken fabric, 4-5 inches wide, wrapped around the bottom of her bust line at the top of her abdomen.

Caine's eyes trailed up her body; from observing her hourglass curves, the slight cleavage, the baby fat near her under arms, and her slender shoulders. His eyes fell to her face, tanned and still childishly round. Her hair hung down around her shoulders. Her bangs were drawn back, held behind her head with a silver barrette containing a soft blue accent orb in the center. The shorter strands of hair hung in her face, brushing gently against her cheek bones and chin.

Her violet eyes were lined with thin black lines and were accented with a blue-ish slate grey eyeshadow. Her lips were left untouched, save for the lip gloss catching the light.

_Wow... Wow, wow, wow!_

"Caine?"

Caine blinked a few times. Nikki was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at him. Oh god... How long had she been standing there?!

He coughed and swallowed hard. "You look-... And your perfume... We should g-..." He cleared his throat, clenching a fist in front of his mouth as he did. "I um... I brought this for you..." He extended the box shyly.

Nikki looked at the box and opened it, revealing a white corsage with soft pink accents on the petal tips. She smiled briefly reminded of a highschool prom, and held back a giggle at the fact that Caine put so much thought into the whole situation.

"It's so pretty," she smiled and they stood quiet for a minute. "...Do I... Have to put it on myself?"

"Oh! N-n-no... I can do that."

Nikki smiled and watched as he clumsily pulled out the corsage and slipped it around her bare wrist. He swallowed hard. He really wanted to kiss the underside of her wrist... Up her arm... NO! Stop.

Glacia smiled from the kitchen. Elysia was still standing, with Nikki, holding the skirt of her dress.

Caine looked up at her and smiled sheepishly. "Ready..?"

Nikki nodded and smiled. "Yep," she replied, taking his arm as he offered it. She pet Elysia's hair softly as the girl let go of her dress. She then waved goodbye to Glacia as she walked towards the door.

* * *

Jean chuckled, his arm draped lazily around the shoulders of a girl with chin length red hair and green eyes. "Well, well... Looks like out little Caine is all grown up..."

Breda laughed, holding a mug of beer in his hand, watching Nikki and Caine at the opposite side of the hall. "Looks like they're really hittin' it off!"

Vato frowned, furrowing his brow. "How old is she now?"

Jean shrugged, grinning at his date as he pulled her closer. "Eighteen? Nineteen? I dunno."

Breda grinned slightly. "Lucky. She's not a minor anymore. He could drink her up and take 'er home."

Vato chuckled softly. "If he can get up the courage to ask her."

Jean let out a soft chuckle as well and nuzzled Melissa's neck. "Ain't that the truth..." She let out a small giggle, cupping her cheek bashfully.

Caine was holding a cup of punch that had been spiked. He had been driunking it down like no tomorrow, while Nikki had only had a couple.

Despite the amount of drinks he had, Caine was surprisingly sober, but his cheeks were a bright pink.

Nikki smiled a little, using ehr thumb to polish the silver name plate on his chest reading 'MSG Caine Feury'.

"It's nice..." Her hand reached up and gently brushed his shoulder. "I think I like these uniforms better. They're much more sophisticated... And they're handsome."

Caine gave a sheepish grin. "You think? I dunno... It's kinda... Mm... Flashy."

She laughed. "Nah. It looks great. It really does. Her hand patted his chest and rotated the golden buttons so that the designs sat upright.

"Think so?" Caine asked hopefully.

"Obviously!" She laughed. "I really like it... Makes you look really handsome."

Caine blushed through the drunken tints on his face. "Thanks." He swirled the beverage in his hand and stared down at it. "Um... Wanna go for, like... A walk?" He looked up at her, shyly and hopefully.

Nikki blinked and smiled a little, nodding. "Okay."

Jean watched and gave a sniffle, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "He's just... Growing up so fast!!" He bawled falsely.

The others laughed, Melissa giggling softly along with them.

Attached to the hall that the party was held in, were a set of large French doors, through which Caine and Nikki had exited through. The two stood on the veranda, overlooking a large garden with a water fountain in the center. There were small lights lining the white cobblestone walkway, illuminating the bushes full of large, bright flowers. The veranda on which they stood was also white, containing a thick railing with small, delicate extensions of a grape vine swirling around it.

Nikki rested her elbows gently on the railing, before folding her arms across it. Caine, one the other hand, found that swirling his alcohol beverage was very interesting.

They stood in awkward silence for a long time. Nikki could feel the nervousness emitting off of Caine's person and felt the need to make him more comfortable. It was finally becoming painstakingly clear why he'd asked her. She was flattered, of course. ...But Edward...

Caine cleared his throat a little. "...Hey, um... Th-Thanks for coming with me tonight..."

Nikki looked over at him and smiled softly. "Don't worry about it." She felt a sharp prodding sensation in the upper left-hand side of her chest cavity. She'd always had feelings for Caine... But due to their lack of interaction throughout the years, she seemed to constantly mistake it for just truly good friends.

Caine caught her eye and smiled at her. "...You look really pretty, too..." He blinked and then shifted his footing. "I-I mean it!" he added hurriedly, almost as though he were afraid she wouldn't take the compliment seriously.

With a soft giggle, Nikki nodded and folded her arms tighter, putting more weight on them and crossing one ankle behind the other. "Thank you." She looked back down at the garden and admired the way the path lights reflected the water in the fountain. A chill ran up her spine and, almost immediately afterwards, she felt the weight of fabric over her shoulders. She looked towards Caine had been standing, but her eyes traveled behind her wear he was standing. He had his hands resting on her shoulders, smoothing out the fabric of his jacket.

"You look cold," he said meekly, wearing a nervous smile.

Nikki blinked and then tugged the jacket around her momentarily. Her arms then slid into the sleeves and she smiled, noticing how the pressed fabric didn't slide and bunch around her elbows like with Ed's jacket. She giggled a little. "...It's big." But then again, everything was big on Nikki.

Caine let out a belly laugh and ran his hands up and down her biceps quickly, trying to warm her up. "Well, I should hope so... It'd be weird if my clothes fit you." The two of them laughed and Nikki gave him a smile, turning her attention to the garden once more, her eyes following the path, to see how far it lead. However, her eyes lost sight behind what seemed like a small hedge maze.

Her head fell to one side slightly, a vacant smile dancing across her mouth. She found herself loving the feeling of his large hands running up and down her thin arms. They were strong, warm, comforting, and protective all at the same time. It was nice.

She seemed to regain a normal thought pattern as his hands left her arms and he, almost hesitantly stepped beside her, picking his drink up off the rail. "...Better?" he asked.

Nikki looked over at him and smiled, nodding. "Yeah.. Much better." She straightened and glanced down at the jacket. She unpinned the silver name plate from the chest of the jacket and turned 90 degrees to face him. Instinctively, she noticed, he straightened, with his chest puffed out some, feet together, and hands at his side (though he was careful not to spill the drink).

Smiling, Nikki slipped the needle into his breast pocket and poked it back through, pinning the name tag to his chest. She folded her hands in front of her, down at her waist, and then looked up at him. "Thank you for bringing me tonight... I really had a lot of fun..."

Caine grinned proudly as his well-toned body relaxed. For an electronics geek, he was certainly built decently. "You're welcome... I'm glad you had fun... I didn't really expect you to," he admitted softly.

Nikki blinked and then giggled a bit. "Why not?"

He shrugged and stared at his polish shoes. "I dunno..." He was silent and then chuckled and shook his head. "I dunno," he repeated, looking up at her. All the reasons he could think of made little to no sense.

Nikki smiled, watching him. He had nice eyes... Dark in colour, like Roy's, but caring, unlike Roy's... Speaking of which... Where was he? Did he ask Riza to take him home..?

She recalled briefly, that they looked at each other for a while. At some point, Caine had set his drink back on the railing, clumsily though, for it had spilt over the edge, soaking the bushes. She remembered the shifting of his shoes on the marble floor and the way he grew closer.

It was hot and bittersweet. His mouth pressed against hers, kissing softly at first, before growing harder as though he wished to bruise her lips with his... And that was fine. She felt his soothing hands wrap around almost the entire circumference of her upper arms and her own hands slipped up his chest, resting on his shoulders. Her fingertips brushed against the collar of his shirt, as her head tilted to one side, allowing her to exhale slowly out her nose.

She shifted her footing as Caine pulled her closer, gently though, because that was the only thing Caine was. She slipped her hands back, enabling herself to wrap her arms around his neck. Her cheek briefly brushed his and she felt the immense heat in his face. She wondered to herself if this was his first kiss... Maybe... He seemed nervous... But he also seemed to have an idea of what he was doing. It was odd thing to determine, but she didn't care. She did realize, however, that her close friend was some she cared very deeply about... That she loved, a lot.

Edward.

No... She loved Edward more... That much she knew. But then, how could she tell Caine that..? Didn't he know about her and Edward? He had to have known... But if he did, they probably wouldn't be in this particular predicament. She felt guilt wash over her. What the hell was she going to do?

* * *

Nikki tucked her hair behind her ear softly as Caine walked her up the three or four steps to the front door of the Maes residence. She turned and looked at him, smiling softly, her face glowing. He had an odd look on his face as well. Both were somewhere between dumbfounded and smitten from the events on the hall's veranda.

"...I... Had a really nice time tonight..."

Caine grinned sheepishly. "Yeah... Me too..."

Nikki gripped the door handle softly and reached up, taking a spare key out of the electric light mounted on the door frame. She pushed it into the lock and looked at Caine again, her eyes focused on his and vice-versa.

Nikki stepped up into the house and leaned against the door slowly. "...Night..." She smiled softly, pushing the door closed at an agonizingly slow speed.

"...G'night..." Caine was admiring her face, her neck, her shoulders, her hair... She was so pretty... He felt like his chest was going to explode.

Nikki jumped softly and then looked down. She pulled off the jacket to his uniform and handed it out to him. '...Here... Can't leave without this..."

He wrapped his hand around hers. "...Keep it... We'll never wear these again..." He smiled. "...Promise... Really... Just... It's for you."

With a small smile, Nikki pulled the jacket back to herself slowly and nodded. "...Okay..." If he insisted...

"Night," she said again.

"...Good night, Nikki..." He wanted to reach out; give her a kiss again, but the door closed softly. Nonetheless, he walked away; triumphant and proud. He'd kissed her. An actual kiss... And they'd danced, smiled, laughed... Things hadn't gotten awkward between them! It was fantastic... He'd have to see her again before she and the Elrics left Central... He'd missed her... WOW, would he miss her.

Nikki watched him leave through the peephole in the door. The buggie rattled way and she turned, facing the long hallway of the black bowls of the house. She held his jacket close to her chest, taking in the heavy scent of his cologne at his collar. She smiled softly and then reached down, removing her heels. She held the straps by dangling them from a finger and walking up the stairs, lightly snuggling Caine's jacket. He smelled terrific...

Wait... How was she supposed to explain his jacket?

She wandered into her room and closed the door. She turned on the very small, unilluminating light on her desk and sat down. She looked at the jacket, fingers running over the smooth fabric before brushing the silver name plate. She smiled. The box... The box filled with letters. Not just from Ed and Al, but from her military friends... It had Edward's jacket and pictures in it as well. She pulled it out from under the bed and opened it. Folding the jacket neatly, she rested it in the box; it covered everything perfectly.

She'd lock it away, just like she'd do with her feelings for Caine, until the time was right... If there ever _was_ a right time. She'd never, ever kept a secret from Edward before in her life... But... What he didn't know... What she didn't pursue, or encourage, or crave more of... It couldn't hurt him... Right?

**A/N: Well, there she is; Chapter 13. Nikki and Caine in all their lusty hawtness. I really enjoyed writing this, even though I was partially unconscious through the last half, Lawlz. The idea of a dance seemed so much better in my head and I wanted to focus a bit more on the rest of the characters. I wanted to give Ed & Al a little screentime in this chapter, as well as Roy & riza... But just time and sleep deprivation didn't allow it. Nevertheless, I did what I set out to do - focusing on Nikki, Caine and their emotions towards one another. Caine was really hard in this chapter, since it was the most I had played him and that 'special scene' that was pre-Nikki-pick-up seemed really OOC to me... Yet, I have to admit it fit with his kind of deep-rooted adoration of Nikki... Even if it does seem a tad creepy in retrospect...**

**Hey! I'd fantasize about Nikki, too! XD**


	14. XIV: Return & Results

**A/N: Well, I have to tell you that not much happens in this chapter at all... My brain decided to have a melt down while writng it and I sort of just ended it where it ended. I felt like writing more, but I just couldn't. I'll tell you... My mind is SO preoccupied with getting the end of this story and the second part down that it's insane... Anyway, what happens in this chapter is that a very important, but a fairly unused character is introduced. Also... If you read the large capitals that begin this chapter, you will see that Nikki & Ed have wonderful news for you all.. Hopefully I can finish up these nonsense filler-chapters and end the story before summer vacation... But that might be hoping for too much o.o... ENJOY :3**

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, AMESTRIS!! HAHA! FOUR MONTHS AND I'M A FATHER!!!"

Nikki sweatdropped, watching as Edward jumped through the snow-covered streets of Resembool. He was grinning widely, eyes shut tight as he punched at the air. He did a spin of sorts, punching towards the grey-ish sky before flopping on his back, his bangs hanging in his eyes.

"...God... This is so great," he muttered softly.

A giggle erupted from beside Nikki as Winry and Al both broke into laughter.

Winry looked over at Nikki, adjusted the green winter hat on her golden hair. "Don't forget that you're stuck with him now."

Al laughed and clamped a large iron hand gently on Nikki's shoulder. "Big Brother's so excited... I'm really happy too, Nikki. I mean... That's just so great... You and Ed being-"

"HEY!" Pinako was standing not too far from the main road, standing beside an axe on the ground and a large pine tree. "Alphonse, come and give me a hand with this?" She rolled her shoulders in her winter coat, pushing it farther up to her face as she clamped her pipe between her teeth.

"Ah, coming Pinako-San!" Al jogged up the path, towards Winry's grandmother with the blonde bombshell at his heels, Den running alongside her.

Nikki giggled softly and then turned, looking over at Edward, still laying flat on his back in the snow, arms spread out beside him. She smiled and wandered over to him, her hands buried in her winter coat's pockets.

Ed gave a smile, knowing she was there, although he never turned his eyes from the falling snow overhead and the circular glow of the sun hidden behind the clouds. His eyes finally trailed over to her and he extended a hand, scarf partially wrapped about his arm. Nikki took a gloved hand from her pocket and grasped his, letting him weigh it down and swing their limbs lazily. His thumb caressed the back of her hand.

Honey-coloured eyes averted back to the sky. Nikki soon tilted her head back and looked up at well, the snowflakes dotting her glasses with water.

"...This is great, y'know?" Edward muttered.

Nikki looked down at him and squatted next to him, laying their hands on her lap, smiling.

Ed frowned and looked at her, sitting up immediately. "Hey... Be careful," he muttered, letting go of her hand to cradle her lower back. "Should... You be sitting like that?" He moved to pull of his jacket, meaning to set it down so she could sit. Nikki merely giggled and stood up. Edward watched her and immediately seized her hand again, smiling weakly.

Nikki returned his smile and tilted her head, laughing softly. "Happy?"

He laughed. "...Yeah... I've never felt so excited... Anxious... All at the same time... Well... Maybe... But it was different than this..." He rubbed at the butterflies in his stomach. He grinned. "This feels nice... Not so... Suspenseful; not like everything's riding on it... It just _is_... You know..?"

Edward looked up at her hopefully, praying that she would get him and when she smiled and nodded, he felt silly because Nikki _always_ got him. He tugged her hand lightly and Nikki arched an eyebrow before turning around at a loud bang. The tree had hit the ground and was being gripped at the trunk by Alphonse.

Pinako looked at Nikki and Edward from her place on the stairs of the house's porch. "Come on, then you two... You'll catch your death out here." She turned and walked back into the house, Winry following. Al continued to drag the tree until finally gripping it so that he hoisted the trunk over his shoulder.

Nikki looked at Edward and took a step back, pulling on his arm. He grunted and sat up, brushing snow off his backside before heading towards the house slowly. Nikki came behind him, brushing off the back of his coat.

The two entered the Rockbell's home quietly. Edward shut the door after Al had eased inside with the tree. He pulled the scarf from around his neck and hung that on the coat rack near the front door, along with his coat. He straightened out the black jacket he wore, giving a firm tug on the front, before wandering over to Nikki and taking her coat for her.

Nikki smiled as her coat was pulled off her shoulders and she tugged down the cream-coloured sweater she had borrowed from Winry. She wore a pair of standard black pants that flared over her dark brown boots, wet and shiny from the snow. She pulled them off and set them by the door. Edward watched her as he removed his own black boots with red soles. A vacant smile was plastered on his face.

Nikki sat herself down into the soft couch, slouching as the cushions pulled her into their depths. The way she was sitting, even though the sweater was naturally baggy on her, the bulge in her stomach from a five month-long pregnancy was somewhat visible. She rubbed her stomach absently, her hand moving around with the way her stomach curved. She watched as Pinako and Winry directed the tree into the stand on the floor.

She pushed herself up and walked over to the group, looking at Pinako with her hands behind her back. "...Pinako-San... Is there anything I can do to help?" Her layers swung in her eyes, hanging out of the ponytail she'd thrown it into.

Pinako looked up at Nikki, and then chuckled, removing her pipe from her mouth, letting her free hand stray behind her own back out of habit. "Don't be silly... I can't possibly ask you to do anything with you being the way you are... Come, now... Just have a seat, huh?" She nodded towards the couch. Edward was standing beside the furniture, his hands in his pockets, watching the two with a vacant smile, his face practically glowing.

Nikki looked at him and then smiled a bit. Maybe she _would_ sit...

She was thrilled being back here in Resembool. It was like a home away from home. Winry was like a good friend and a sister and Pinako was like a grandmother... She had been welcomed a few years ago when she'd begun traveling with the Elric brothers and had been welcome ever since. Whenever they took a side trip to visit the small family, Nikki was always commemorated on being able to tolerate the brothers and their antics.

Nikki approached the couch and sat down slowly with a slow sigh, relieved that the black pants Winry lent her had an expandable waistline. Edward sat beside her, draping his good leg over his automail, hands sliding out of his pants pockets.

Her violet eyes turned to Edward and she smiled. He always looked like that now; a vacant smile, but soft eyes that were totally in tune with what was going on... Almost like seeing what would be going on in 10 years... How happy they would be...

She understood now why he smiled, when it crossed her mind, the smile wouldn't tolerate being contained. She bit her lip, managing to hold back a giggle. A family... It was... A great concept... She loved it... And all at once her fears of family bubbled up inside her. Her smile turned neutral and she grinded her lower lip between her teeth.

What if it all falls apart?

_It won't._

What if Edward does something horrible?

_He won't._

What if-

_Nothing will happen... Because everything will be fine... Edward's there... He's right next to you. He's not going anywhere..._

Nikki looked over at Edward and smiled softly. She turned to the tree, already half decorated. Winry stood on a step stool, trying to wrap the remaining lights around the remaining boughs of the tree while Al was trying to carefully place glass ornaments on hooks and hang them.

Her attention turned back to Edward and her hand twitched a little before moving off her stomach and resting over his. Edward turned his head quickly, thinking maybe something was wrong and he had been lost in his thoughts. However, his content smile returned, seeing Nikki look at their hands with a soft fondness, stroking the back of his glove. He turned his hand palm-up and gripped her lightly in his fingers.

* * *

It was about 7 am when Edward woke up. He yawned loudly and stretched her arms over his head, legs hanging off the side of the bed. He flexed his artificial limbs, working out the joints before he started the day. He turned, expecting to see Nikki. He wasn't surprised however when she wasn't there. She'd been getting up early lately...

Edward smiled, hoping she'd made breakfast. Her cooking was so awesome. He grinned childishly and stood up, his hair all over the place and his boxers turned at an awkward angle from tossing and turning. He frowned and turned them straight around, walking into the bathroom with a small limp.

As he turned on the faucet, he removed a toothbrush and covered it with a fresh mint-smelling toothpaste. He then started brushing his teeth vigorously. He hummed as he switch to his left hand, bending his automail at the shoulder, and then elbow. He rotated the wrist and wiggled and flexed his fingers. He continued the ritual throughout the brushing with his leg, knee, ankle, and toes as well.

Once he had brushed his teeth to an extra pearly white, he leaned over the sink and spit, rinsing the brush and setting it aside before cupping his good hand beneath the running torrent of water. He scooped it into his mouth, tossing his head back and gargling before spitting into the sink once more.

Edward then proceeded to tidy up with a wash cloth, his humming of Christmas tunes continuing. Finally, he gazed at himself in the mirror. He caught sight of the scene outside the bathroom window from the reflection over his shoulder. He grinned and felt exhilarated as one normally felt on Christmas morning.

_Definitely today... Before everyone else gets up... Maybe under the mistletoe... Maybe I should wait for Winry and Al..._

Ed screwed his face in thought, running a brush through his long hair before tying it back into a standard ponytail. He marched out into the bedroom again and opened a drawer, pulling on a pair of plain black pressed pants. He bumped the drawer closed with his knee, buttoning the pants as he went to pull open a second drawer. Out came a black button-up shirt with dark grey pinstripes. Ed did up the buttons and observed himself in the full-length mirror after tucking it in. He wrinkled his nose, yanking the shirt from his trousers and smoothing it over.

Pulling on his white gloves he walked over to the chair near the door and dug through his jacket pockets. He grinned, pulling something out and stuffing it in his pants pockets.

_Who am I kidding?_ He thought.

"I can't wait." He laughed like a satisfied kid and walked out of the room, down the stairs slowly. They had really busted ass yesterday... The house looked fantastic. The tree was lit brightly, the place settings were out... It was awesome. He loved Christmas. Nothing, NOTHING, could spoil it.

He inhaled, smelling the chai scent wafting from the living room. He wandered into the adjoining room of the kitchen and grinned, staring at Nikki who was sitting on the couch, reading a book and drinking what he believed to be hot cocoa. It smelled like it, anyway.

With a grin plastered on his face, he sauntered into the living room and removed the cup from her hand, putting it on the nearby table. He leaned forward, planting his hands on either side of her as she looked up. He grinned.

Nikki blinked and laughed, smiling. "Morning."

"Morning! Merry Christmas" He looked down at her as she bid him a merry Christmas as well. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. He pulled back for a moment and then cupped her chin in his hand, kissing her again, deeper this time.

Nikki smiled a bit and returned his kiss, rubbing his good arm slowly with her hand. Edward pulled back slowly and then grinned, turning and flopping down next to her, an arm over her shoulders. He leaned over and rubbed at the bulge in her stomach, smiling softly.

Nikki smiled, watching his hand. "...Everyone still asleep?" She asked softly.

He nodded. "Think so..."

There was a long silence between the two and Nikki blinked. She broke into a soft grin and reached back, unwrapping Edward's good hand from around her shoulders. She placed it lightly on her stomach.

Edward blinked and grinned. "...Hey... It's moving... IT'S MO-"

Nikki pressed a hand against his mouth, holding a finger to her smiling lips. "Shhh!"

Edward grinned sheepishly behind her hand and scratched the back of his head. She took her hand from his mouth and watched as he looked down at her stomach.

He grinned again, wider this time. "I want a boy," he said matter-of-factly.

Nikki laughed a little. "Yeah? Well, it's pretty rambunctious... It's got a good chance of being one," she smiled. "At least we know it's definitely yours," she teased light-heartedly, earning a proud grin from Edward. Her eyes trailed back down to her stomach and she tilted her head to one side. She hadn't even thought about what she wanted it to be... Maybe a little girl... The pink and the ruffles... And the pink... It was appealing to her.

Then again...

A boy might be nice, too... Edward wouldn't have the stress of needing to protect a boy so much as a girl... Although she already saw the overprotective dad in him. Still... The idea of that perfect little momma's boy - like the Elric brothers - was adorable... She loved kids... And thinking about her own made her heart swell.

Edward shifted and stood up slowly. Nikki averted her eyes up, looking at him with a small tilt of her head. He smiled, holding out his hand to her. Smiling, she set her book aside and pulled herself up slowly, using his hand as leverage.

Nikki watched Edward for a moment, his apparent nervousness suddenly dawning on her. She watched as he rubbed his gloved hand against his pant leg, trying to wipe the sweat from his palm. Her eyes averted upward when he cleared his throat, hand sliding into his pocket.

"Um... There's... something I've wanted to... Y'know... Give to you... For a long time, and... Well..." Edward cleared his throat and frowned, glancing sideways. "...I'm just... Not too sure how to do it..."

Nikki blinked and tilted her head to one side. She felt her flace flush as he shifted his foot and went to drop to one knee. About halfway through his kneeling position, a knock sounded at the door.

Inwardly, Edward both praised and cursed the person at the door for their remarkable timing... Maybe he wasn't ready to give this to Nikki just yet... He knew that he was but... He could at least put it off for a little while? Until the time _felt_ right..?

Sighing, Edward moseyed over to the door, keeping his hand in his pocket casually. Nikki looked over at him and watched, picking at her cuticles softly as she cocked her hip to one side.

The knock sounded again.

"Yeah, yeah... Hold on will you? It's early," he drawled. He wasn't really tired, but he was trying to work off the butterflies running a muck in his stomach. Gripping the handle of the door, he turned the knob, unlocked the latch and pulled it open. "Yeah?" Edward's eyes trailed up to a face; a familiar face.

Nikki peered over to see who he'd opened the door for, and to see who'd be visiting so early on Christmas morning. The man's eyes were hidden behind almost oval glasses, a goldenrod beard lined the outside of his face, almost crawling over his upper lip. His hair was long, like Edward's and brushed back, pulled into a low ponytail. He was at least six feet tall, or so she guessed, and he had broad shoulders. He wore a long black coat that fell below his knees and buttoned up the front. From underneath the coat, a white, bunched up turtleneck of sorts was seen bulging from over the top button. He wore black shoes and olive green slacks, carrying a brown briefcase in his hand.

Nikki blinked as the man's grey eyes traveled from her down to Edward. He stared at him for a long while and a faint smile appeared on his face. "...Still hanging around here, are you?"

She was surprised at how gentle and passive the man's voice was... Although she had to admit, he _did_ look rather harmless to begin with. Just something in his face told her that.

The man let out a chuckle. "You've... Gotten so big, Edw-"

Edward had reeled back his automail hand, punching the taller man directly in the face. Nikki jumped as he sort of somersaulted down the porch's steps, Edward chasing after him.

"Edward!" She called, chasing after the two of them. "EDWARD! What are you doing?!"

Nikki watched as the man shifted to a one-knee kneel. He rested one hand on his raised knee, the other on the ground, and went to push himself up only to receive a swift kick in the stomach with Edward's automail. Nikki yelled out to him again - it was like Edward _really_ wanted to hurt the man.

Nikki slipped on her boots quickly and ran down the stairs, hurrying over to Edward. She shifted her footing and grabbed onto his forearms, just below his elbows. "Edward! Stoppit! What's the matter with you?!"

The man grunted a little and rose to his feet, seeming to have no other real reaction to the situation. He looked towards the two with an almost saddened expression and brushed snow from his jacket as he stood straight. "...I wouldn't expect you to take my showing up here kindly..."

Edward scoffed, his muscles still tense, but his posture relaxing for Nikki's sake. He glared up at the man with his honey-coloured eyes, the man simply looking back at him calmly.

Nikki frowned and glanced from the man to Edward, then back up to the man. "Who are you?"

Edward let out a soft growl and turned his head to one side, gently pulling his arms from Nikki's grip and standing straight, eyes boring into the ground. "He's my father," he muttered.

Nikki opened her mouth a little and then looked up at the man before them. He... _Did_look a lot like Edward... She could see it. No doubt.

"So, Hohenheim..."

Nikki, Edward, and his father turned to look at the doorway, Pinako standing in the frame with her pipe.

"...You've finally decided to return to Resembool?"

Hohenheim chuckled a little and picked up his briefcase slowly, walking up the steps of the porch. "I do realize I'm long overdue... And... I seem to be having trouble finding my house..."

Pinako arched an eyebrow from behind her circular frames. "...Well, you won't find it... It's gone. Burned down... Courtesy of your boys." She nodded down towards where Edward stood.

Nikki's eyes looked at the alchemist before her and she frowned softly, watching his facial expressions change from enraged, to annoyed, to nostalgic, and then back to enraged. She sighed and turned towards Hohenheim. She'd read about him in some of the military's alchemist files; Hohenheim of Light... He was, supposedly, the most powerful alchemist to date. It didn't surprise her much that someone like him could be Edward's dad, not one bit.

But why was he here? Why now? Edward had told her stories, said that his father went and abandoned his mother to pursue his alchemic research... He never wrote to her or even came to visit... Why... Just... All of a sudden...?

Hohenheim blinked and turned around, staring down at Edward from his place on the porch. He laughed softly. "I see... Experiment gone wrong?" He ventured.

Edward scoffed. "More like burning the past... Besides, I thought it was pretty decent in case you came back; leaving you high and dry too."

Nikki glanced at Edward and then up at Hohenheim, pulling from his face the sadness but understanding of what his son had said. Nikki wanted to chide Edward for being rude to his father... But after her situation - telling off Shou in Lab 5 - it seemed hypocritical... But then again... Shou wasn't really her father. She really didn't have one. Her eyes slipped shut.

_Maes..._

Well... Maybe she did... It was just a shame she didn't really have a chance to actually... Be his d-

"Are you going to introduce me to your friend, Edward? ...I ...Know that you're not happy with me at all... But... Just out of politeness... For her sake, you know?"

Edward, for a moment, just frowned at his father and finally let his muscles relax somewhat. He sighed and closed his eyes for a minute and turned slightly, lifting his hand, palm up and moving it towards Nikki. "...This is Nikki..." He hesitated for a moment and cleared his throat softly. "...Nikki Hughes..."

A small absent-minded smile pulled at Nikki's lips and she folded her hands behind her back, boots crunching against the snow as her footing shifted.

Hohenheim nodded and chuckled softly, inclining his head in Nikki's direction. "It's very nice to meet you, Nikki..." He smiled kindly. "And congratulations," he added, taking in her swollen stomach. "...Will I also have the pleasure of... Meeting the father?"

Pinako gave an amused chuckle from behind Hohenheim as she turned and walked back into the house.

Nikki flushed and glanced sideways at Edward quickly before looking at her feet and folding her hands in front of her lightly.

Edward cleared his throat and dug his toe into the snow on the ground. "Well... S'funny you should mention that," he muttered unhappily. Nikki wavered a bit at the tone of his voice, but from the soft look he gave her, she could tell that it was just his dad's presence still irking him.

Hohenheim raised an eyebrow in slight curiosity. "..?"

Edward's eyes turned to his father, mouth twitching upward into a small smile. "Well... That is to say... I am. ...The father, I mean," he replied slowly, leaving long intervals between every couple of words.

Hohenheim's gray eyes looked over the two slowly and he frowned softly, mostly out of disbelief. "Y-..? ...You're going... To be a dad..?"

Edward scoffed softly and nodded. "Yeah... Yeah, I am." His voice returned to normal and his chest swelled with the pride present in his speech.

Nikki looked over at Edward and smiled softly before tucking hair behind her ear and looking to Hohenheim, who had begun walking down the steps of the porch. The two younger alchemists watched him tentatively - Edward's expression was mostly suspicious, though.

It was a shock, but Nikki has managed to compose herself after she'd felt Hohenheim wrap his large arms around her. Edward, momentarily, looked like he was going to punch him across the face, but took a breath and let the corner of his mouth twitch into a small smile.

Hohenheim pulled back and gripped Nikki's shoulder tightly. She felt small..'er' with him standing in front of her like that. She looked up at him quizzically... Well... The was weird... And a bit unexpected of him.

"...You... You'll make a wonderful mother... I can see it in your eyes." His warm smile caused butterflies in her stomach and she wondered if the baby noticed, because she also felt it push lightly against the inside of her stomach. Instinctively, her hand rested on the bulge and she smiled a bit.

Hohenheim continued. "You have eyes like Trisha... You remind of her a great deal..." His hand cupped the side of her face and he smiled again before looking over at Edward. Nikki followed the older man's gaze and she watched some sort of mutual understanding flow between them. At length, Hohenheim squeezed her shoulder and took his hand from her face, standing up straight.

"Please excuse me, you two... I... Have things to discuss with Pinako."

The two nodded at him and watched him retreat into the house. Nikki blinked slowly and looked over at Edward, who was grinning slyly. She blinked. "...What?"

"..It's moving again, isn't it?" He held back a small giggle that made Nikki laugh.

"Yeah, a little."

Edward closed the space between them. "I wanna feel iiiit," he whined, extending his hand and closing them around the sides of her stomach. He wasn't sure why he used both; after all he could only feel with one... But it felt natural... And he didn't want to be different for once because now he was a father and... He wanted to be a typical father - not like his.

A grin spread onto Ed's face as the baby pushed against the palm of his left hand. He giggled. "So cool," he said through a grin.

Nikki laughed. She remembered during their visit to Glacia and Maes's house years ago how he'd said how awesome it was that Glacia was pregnant. She smiled and thought of how some things never changed.

A small chill ran up her spine as goose bumps broke out over her arms from beneath the sweater. She was suddenly aware that they were standing outside in the middle of winter. Edward seemed to notice it too, because he immediately rubbed his hands against her arms and smiled. "Come on, let's go inside..."

**A/N: Well, that's that! Hope you liked this rather boring chapter Dx... Gawd it was so awful...  
**

_**NOTES: Since now you know about 'the big surprise', how'd you all like to help me out? See... As creative as I am (Pfft, yeah right), I'm having trouble coming up with a decent name for the child. For future reference, it IS, in fact, a boy... But naming him is a nightmare for me... When you leave a comment, please post a suggest :3 Also, as a precaution, make sure that it sounds decent with the surname Elric. I'd thought of fantastic names that sounded like a whole bunch of 'tard once added with surname, so... Just warning you xD  
**_

_** Stay tuned for a my first SongFic that will also give you a sneak-peak at the sequal x3  
**_

_** Please whore out my link Dx I can't stand the lack of comments... It's making me lose my enthusiasm for writing this story T.T**_


	15. XV: The Falling Out

**A/N || My first update on this story in a very long time... Again, I apologize for slacking with this a lot. School, work... It's what happens, eh? Hopefully all my old readers will come back and review for me. :] Enjoy!**

**Diclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist** **or any characters involved (©Hiromu Arakawa)****. I only own Nikki; she is my own creation.**

There was no real way for him to be happy about this. Here was Hohenheim, the father he forsook years ago for abandoning their mother. Now, he sat across the table, chatting up a storm with his _girl_. Merry, merry Christmas…

His natural leg bounced as he held a hand over his mouth, watching Hohenheim intently. He considered slamming his boot into the man's leg, but knew that Nikki would have his head for being rude. She should know how he felt; she hated her father, too. It boiled his blood, to say the least.

"Edward..?"

He blinked and slid his eyes to Nikki, who was giving him an odd look. Both she and his father had stopped eating, plates nearly bare of the breakfast served just twenty minutes prior. His, on the other hand, hadn't been touched. After a moment, Edward decided that Nikki's expression was one of concern and questioning. He heaved a sigh and sat up straight, the joints in his back popping from being hunched for so long. Dropping his hand to his lap, he looked back up at her dully.

"Hunh..?"

Nikki's brow furrowed, and she adjusted her glasses. "…You're not eating," she replied quietly.

"Nngh… I know," he muttered.

The tension in the air made her shift uncomfortably. She figured he was upset with her, and it made her eyes downcast, towards her napkin-covered lap.

Hohenheim peered between the two for a moment and cleared his throat. "I think… I'll go see what Pinako and Winry are up to," he mumbled, mostly to himself, before picking up his plate and nearly empty glass of milk, exiting the room.

The silence was loud, pounding against Nikki's eardrums. She took a deep breath and glanced to one side, eying Edward while she kept her head down. "…Well..?"

"I don't like that you're talking to him."

"Someone has to… Ignoring guests is rude."

"He's not a guest."

"He's Winry and Pinako's guest. And your father."

"Just like Shou's your father, right?" He scoffed softly.

Nikki blinked. Edward did as well. He turned his head to her quickly. He couldn't identify the look on her face, but he recognized the glaze in her eyes as tears welled up. "Shit.. I-…"

"Was he the one that killed _your_ family, Ed?" She shot, standing quickly.

Something flared in his stomach, and he stood too, knocking his chair to the floor with a loud clatter. "He might as well have!" He shot back; it was becoming a competition.

"Your mother got sick, he didn't blow her up!"

"He MADE her sick!"

"Did he MAKE you practice human transmutation?!"

"Yes!"

"Liar!" She slammed a hand on the table, clattering silverware and plates.

"How are you going to call me a liar?!"

"You do those things on your own free will!!"

"How do you know anything about that?!"

"Because I've done it!"

For a moment, an eerie silence overcame the room where an infuriated Nikki stared Edward down and he stared back, stunned and hurt.

"Nikki… You didn't."

"I just said I did, didn't I?! Don't think you've got more experience in things! Even if you did, don't tell me I'm wrong! He didn't hold a gun to your head and tell you to try and resurrect your mother!"

Another spark ignited inside Edward and he furrowed his brow. "You don't know anything about this! Just get lost, okay?!"

Again, silence. Nikki took a deep breath and squeezed her hands shut, balling her fists until her knuckles were white and her nails threatened to puncture her palms. Without a word, but with heavy anger and tension in the air, she turned and marched up the stairs.

Edward sighed and watched her, whirling around quickly and marching outside. Pinako, Winry, Al, and Hohenheim watched him.

"B-… Big Brother?"

"Edward! Bring a coat!" Winry called, hands cupped around her mouth.

"Leave me alone!" Was his only response before he trudged through the snow, down the road.

Pinako sighed and held her pipe to her mouth, clenching it between her teeth silently before she clicked her tongue in disapproval. "These kids… They'll kill me one day…"

Hohenheim seemed concerned and looked down at Pinako. "…Should we, perhaps, go after him?"

"He needs his time… He'll be back," Winry said, quietly. "He's got a short fuse and a lot of anger."

Hohenheim simply nodded as the group looked to the door silently, listening to the bumping and footsteps overhead.

**xXx**

Edward came back some ten hours later, pushing the door open quietly. The group still sat in nearly the same spots they had been this morning. They looked downtrodden.

"Hey," was all he said. He slipped his hands in his pockets, pushing the door shut with his foot. He chuckled softly. "Who died, huh?" He asked, surveying the group. They simply looked at him before glancing away. They weren't telling him something. He furrowed his brow and scoffed. What a thing to come home to. He marched upstairs and Winry flinched as the creak of the bedroom door filled the nearly silent house.

Clumsy footfalls fumbled down the stairs as Edward flew into the living room. "Where is she?!" He asked, his voice was just as frantic as his face.

After another few seconds of silence, Pinako exhaled a pillar of smoke through her nose. "She said you told her to get lost, so she was leaving."

"What?! Leaving where?!"

"She didn't say…" Al looked to Edward, arms over his knees.

Edward looked crestfallen, as if someone had thought it'd be a big laugh to simply shatter his world. He ground his teeth. "YOU!" He took two large steps forward and slammed his metal fist into the side of Hohenheim's head.

"EDWARD!" Winry cried, shooting up.

Al stood with her. "Brother! What're you doing?"

"This all his fault!! Y'hear?! This is all your fault!!"

Pinako stepped forward as Hohenheim pushed himself to his feet; he seemed used to being knocked to the ground at this point. "Stop that, Edward."

Ed looked at Pinako and blinked, gritting his teeth. "But he-!"

"He didn't do a damn thing. Stop acting like a child. Instead of wailing on your father, why don't you go think of where Nikki might be? I know rational thinking isn't your forte, but you should try it sometime."

Edward stared at her and sighed in defeat, plopping onto Hohenheim's former seat, thinking hard as he furrowed his brows, staring at the floor.

Where could she be..? Where..? Where?!

"Central," he muttered.

**xXx**

Caine groaned and rolled off of the couch. He was fortunate enough to fall into a larger salary and finally moved out of the dorms on the base. Pushing his glasses onto his face, he adjusted them and pushed up the fallen sleeve of his white blouse, the top buttons of which were undone. After all, he had just been lounging.

A knock echoed through the hall softly.

"Alright, alright. Hold on just one second," he called, running his fingers through his spiked hair before unlocking the deadbolt and then the knob, pulling the door open.

What a shock he was in. Nikki looked up from closing one of her bags and smiled up at him from beneath her bangs. She straightened her glasses and pressed a hand down atop the netted-styled beret the sat near the back of her head. "Merry Christmas," was all she said. Frankly, it was all she had to bring a grin to his face.

"Merry Christmas," he cooed, losing himself only momentarily. He came back quickly though, giving a firm shake of his head. "What're you doing here?"

She was quiet for a moment and then gave a half-smile. "I needed time away… I wanted to come home."

"Oh… Are you staying with Glacia and Elysia?"

"Mm… I dunno, yet… I'll visit them, but-.." She shrugged.

"Huh. Well… If you need a place to stay, you can stay here! I have room, now! But… How did you even find this place..?"

Nikki chuckled. "The directory…"

"….Right," he muttered sheepishly. "Well, anyway. Yeah. Come in. You can stay in my room," he stated proudly. She picked up her bags and walked into the living room, right past him. He blinked and followed her with his eyes as he closed the door.

"That's okay. The couch is fine for me," she assured.

"N-No… You can take the bedroom. Please. It wouldn't be right if I-…" He trailed off, watching as she undid the buttons running down the front of the black, knee-length coat. She draped it over one arm and tugged down the red top, cut into a "V" at the neck.

She held up her coat, smiling brightly at him. "Where do I put this..?"

He stared at the slight swell in her stomach and gulped a little. He was a technician, sure, but he knew that she hadn't just gotten fat.

"Is… Is that… Mine?"

**A/N || It wasn't long, I know... But... I wrote it in between classes :| I hope you guys enjoyed the bit of drama... And the comic relief that is Caine. ;] Don't forget to leave me those lovely reviews! And I'm still open to ideas for baby names! 8]**


	16. XVI: Staccato

**A/N || You guys should know by now to never trust me when I say I'll having a chapter up by a certain time x| Sorry for the wait. But here it is. It's lame. I fell asleep writing it multiple times. As always, I was too lazy to spell check it. Maybe I just like tossing my raw work at you guys. Point being, it's full of mistakes and probably won't make sense in some parts :/ Enjoy, regardless!**

**Disclaimer || All characters are copyrighted by Hiromu Arakawa. "Wandrers Nachtlied II" written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. I do not gain profit from writing this, I just do it for fun. Nikki/Nicolette are my characters. I luvs them.**

* * *

If there was anything that she could change about herself, it would certainly be the sleeping habits she had. When her mind was restless, so was she, and even though her eyes held small circles and she looked mentally and physically drained, still she paced back and forth in a set of overly large pajama bottoms and a simple shirt. The pants bunched at her feet and, as she moved across the clean wood floor, her heels slid against the fabric.

The distant whistles of the trains pulling into Central Station brought her attention to the window, where the street outside were illuminated only by the streetlight place outside Caine's home. Chewing on her lip, she turned and looked to the mantle framing his fireplace. She spotted a picture of two people, slightly older, smiling with their hands held by each other's. These, she assumed, were his parents. Almost cautiously, she approached the picture and brought one shaky hand to brush against the polished wood mantle. She idly let her fingers travel upwards and they brushed the glass set inside the picture's frame. She smiled faintly as they smiled back, permanently caught in the moment, seated on the porch overlooking a grassy front yard. It was perfect, she thought, and what was even more perfect was the image of a younger version of the woman seated in the picture, set only just beside the first. She was holding a hand-carved train, and the black-haired, large-spectacled boy dressed in khaki shorts and a white, folded-collared shirt, smiled at the camera. Perhaps even laughed. She took the picture slowly from its place beside the first and brought it down, peering at the woman quietly. She knew now, for certain, that this was Caine's mother. She shifted uncomfortably. It seemed as though this were a sanctioned area of the house; that she didn't belong here, and that her eyes weren't supposed to take in what was arranged. But still, her violet eyes narrowed, brow furrowing as she drew in a breath. She stared hard at the smiling woman and put on her head a mess of wavy brown hair, bright blue eyes. But still, she could not mold the face she wanted. The longer she pictured the brown hair and blue eyes, the more she denied that was right, and so she tried red hair and blue eyes; blonde hair, and violet eyes; hazel eyes; black hair; shorter hair; long hair; hair tied back and brilliant emerald eyes. None of it was right.

Nikki hiccupped and she blinked tears from her eyes, splashing them against the picture's glass. She quickly wiped the glass dry with the bottom of her shirt and set it awkwardly upon the mantle. An overwhelming emotion pulled at her heart and her head felt as though it were being split in two. She hurried to the door and pulled on her shoes, then seized her coat from the rack in the corner and promptly left the house, not even noticing that the slamming of the door had awaken the snoozing soldier on the second floor.

Her feet carried her for at least a mile, and she ran the whole way. Her face was red with chill and her breath created a fog on her glasses and in front of her face. She could feel the tears crusting in the corners of her eyes from the sheer cold. In all honesty, she couldn't tell you where she was going, but somehow, at the same time, she went to the only place she knew of.

Nikki pushed open the gate to the cemetery. It needed to be oiled, because it creaked so loudly she feared she'd wake up the whole block. With a quick glance around, she slipped inside and let the gate swing closed behind her. She marched up the hill, ignorant of the stone path and choosing instead to trudge through the packed and icy snow. She stumbled a couple times, but didn't lose her footing. She refused to be set back until she reached her destination. After what seemed like a lifetime, she straightened, heaving a breath as she stared down at the plaque; Maes Hughes.

Nikki shuddered briefly, plopping down on her backside in front of the headstone. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them in place, burying her face from her nose down into her arms. "…I've been away for a long time," she mumbled slowly. "Things have been busy… And… Ed and I had a fight… So I decided to come back… I was gone longer than I wanted to be…" She smiled a little and rubbed her nose to warmth against the sleeve of her coat. "I was scared, though. Of coming back, I mean. Last time I was here, I did something bad… I'm sure you saw it. I don't know if I meant it or not, though…" She glanced to the side. "…Maybe it was just the moment of it, I guess… Have you ever done that to Glacia?" She stared at the headstone expectantly and tilted her head. It didn't even occur that there would be no answer. "Hrm… Personal question… I'm sorry…"

Nikki fell into silence for a long moment, and let her eyes fall closed. She stayed that way for a minute or two before the wind whistled sharply through the cemetery and chilled her through her coat. She shuddered and rubbed her arms to warmth, chewing her lower lip. "Cold," she mumbled idly. Glancing up at the headstone, she noticed her breath had fogged the lenses of her glasses. With another quiet shudder, she pushed herself to her feet and gave a last, long look at the polished and snowy plaque and headstone before turning, slowly shuffling her way down the slicked hill.

The walk was a long one, and it was something that gave her an odd sense of déjà vu. The way her body felt so heavy, how slowly her feet moved down the sidewalk. It was painfully familiar, and the way the street and the sidewalk seemed to stretch for miles, dragging the houses set up on either side with it, made the journey back to Caine's home even longer than it should have been.

Finally, when she'd spotted the polished black car parked outside the house, she felt an odd wave of relief, but something tightened inside her from the base of her sternum, all the way down to her pelvis. She hissed in pain and clapped a hand over her mouth, hacking and coughing as she stumbled towards the front door, nearly crawling her way up the steps. She sucked in a breath of air, the coughing straining her lungs and making her wheeze. Nikki felt her own saliva sputter from her lips, and the dry heaves that accompanied the fit made it hard for her to open the door. She stood there for a long while, practically clawing at the doorknob. It was slick with something that covered her palm and the cold made it stick and prove to be additionally difficult. At last, the door swung open, but she refused to keep her balance as she tripped over the threshold. Her hands reached out and she gripped the runner that led to the steps to the house's second level. Her knees ached from the fall and the more she moved, the more difficult it became to breathe, and the more her coughs persisted. She crawled slowly, wind shooting up her pant legs and plaguing her with a sudden wave of gooseflesh. Coughing harder, she spit onto the runner before feeling unnaturally light-headed. The room tipped and faded, her mind running wild before suddenly going blank as the black of her vision caught the socked feet hurrying down the stairs.

"Nikki? Nikki!!" The voice was familiar and distant to her. She struggled to hold onto the voice, keep herself conscious, but finally her head fell heavy onto the floor and her eyes slid closed as she followed herself into unconsciousness.

"Well, it's a good thing that you got ahold of me when you did. I've never seen anything like this before…"

Caine glanced up, scrubbing the blood from the runner in his hall. He peered around the doorway to the living room at the doctor hovering over the unconscious Nikki on the couch. "…Do you know what it is..?"

"Honestly? No. I can't be sure. Perhaps someone else may… I know a doctor who has reported something similar. But… He's all the way in Dublith. Quite the journey, and I don't know if this girl is up to it. It worries me more, mostly, because she is carrying."

Caine nodded dumbly before thinking silently to himself, staring at the floor. "Dublith… That place sounds familiar…"

"Lots o'people go there when the weather's a bit more friendly to visit that ol' Kauroy Lake."

"Oh, yeah… That's right," Caine mumbled. He proceeded to scrub at the runner, not even thinking about it now. His brow furrowed as he thought exactly how taxing the trip to Dublith would be.

"Who knows how long she's even been living this way… And, for your closure Master Sergeant, I would have to guess that it's some type of Hemoptysis… I can't be sure what the cause of it is, though… This is a mystery to me, and something seems quite… Out of place. But, I'm afraid that's all I can tell you…"

Caine got to his feet and, with a nod, turned to open the door. "Thank you for coming at such an hour, doctor… I appreciate it."

"Not a problem my boy…" The older man shuffled to the door and closed his doctoring purse with a snap. "Don't hesitate to call me again, Caine. I'd like to hear more of her condition. I will send a letter to the physicians in Dublith and let them know that they'll be getting some company, then?"

Caine offered a small smile. "…Sure. That'd be great… Thank you, sir."

"Not at all, not at all. You take care of yourself. And call me if your friend there has any more problems before you leave."

Nodding, he closed the door slowly, waving the good doctor off. "I will… Thank you again, sir." With that, he clicked the door closed and turned the lock before looking over his shoulder with a small, worried frown, watching Nikki as she took deep breaths, covered in a sheen of sweat, caught in a nearly fitful sleep on his couch…

* * *

**xXx**

_**Meanwhile, in another time, and a place not too far away..**_

**Germany, 1923**

"No, no, no! All wrong! Do you think that I pay you for you to give a less than substantial performance?! No! If you do not perform well tomorrow night, then you will be out on the streets again, I can promise you that! Now... One more time. From the top!"

With a few sharp whacks, the balding conductor lifted his baton, letting if float through the air slowly as a melodic voice carried through the spacious and empty opera hall.

_"Über allen Gipfeln_

_Ist Ruh,_

_In allen Wipfeln_

_Spürest du_

_Kaum einen Hauch;_

_Die Vögelein schweigen in Walde._

_Warte nur, balde_

_Ruhest du auch..."(*)_

The voice faded, and the young girl brought her folded hands down from her chest to sit in front of her waist, lightening the body on the skirt of her dress.

The conductor slapped his baton on the music stand and clasped his hands together, pressing them to his lips. He blew a kiss to the candle-lit stage. "Brava! Stupenda! Excellent work, m'dear. Oh, my, my, my, Nicolette... You shall be the star of the evening, the gem in the eye of the Führer, for certain. He and his army will be most pleased with you, I can promise this. Great things. Oh, great things indeed. And the profit! Oh, what a glorious night this shall be!" He continued, voice shaking with excitement as he flicked his coattails, heading up between the seats, marching towards the doors of the large hall.

Nicolette let out a shaky sigh, her brilliant hazel-blue eyes traveling from the floor to the elaborately-painted and domed ceiling of the opera house, where the large chandelier hung motionless. There was a small window placed awkwardly near the base of the dome. In fact, there were several, and they all seemed similar to what a porthole would be like, if not larger in size. Through them, the moon shined brightly, and outside is wear her vision remained. So much so, that she was ignorant of the sandy-cream coloured hair hanging in her eyes, loosened from the French braid along the back of her head.

"Beten Sie für mich..."(*)

She stiffled a quiet cough, taking a deep breath before tilting her head back slowly. The chandelier dimmed and the candles upon the stage burned out as the moonlight shimmered against the locket hanging from her neck...

* * *

*Over all the hilltops  
is calm.  
In all the treetops  
you feel  
hardly a breath of air.  
The little birds fall silent in the woods.  
Just wait... soon  
you'll also be at rest.

(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Wandrers Nachtlied II" || "Wayfarer's Night Song II")

*Rough translation; "Pray for me..."

* * *

**A/N|| So... I was thinking of writing another story... And... This will hopefully give you a bit of an idea of what's going on. If you're confused, it'll make sense eventually. ...Maybe. .**


	17. Afterword, To the Readers

Hey there, everyone.

It's been a long time, hasn't? I wanted to apologize for not updating this story, and letting it hang on such a pitiful note for so long. For years it was my intention to finish this story, but between both schooling and an "un-social" life, I had other obligations. As I believe I had mentioned, this consisted of World of Warcraft and videogames in general. I am a slave to the trade, and I just can't help myself. I have also not been following Anime as heavily as I once did. The extent of my interests now is Naruto, and that's about it. The occasional marathons on Netflix are the only exceptions to this, really. On that note, I have sadly not kept up with Brotherhood (nor the FMA manga) and will most likely wait until the series is available via insta-queue.

Thank you very much for reading this if my old readers are still lurking about quietly waiting for an update – I'm sorry this isn't the one you're looking for. I have left this story in such a state for so long that I simply don't know what to do with it anymore. But I'm sure you're probably wondering if I will finish it. The answer is, I don't know. I feel as though my writing has improved so much since my last update, and while it would most likely show a drastic improvement, I fear it would be too much of a jump in skill, let's say. I may rewrite this story at some point, hopefully with a little less romance and a little more action; maybe a decent balance of both. Some of the things in this story make me want to grind my teeth, and my very annoying OCD makes me want to not touch it until everything has been tweaked and written in a much smarter and sensible way. Even looking at the first chapter, I just have to facepalm.

Regardless, I'm very happy you've stuck with me this long, and I hope you are equally happy to know that you were what kept me motivated to pumping out chapters ASAP. Again, I sincerely apologize for things getting in the way of that. I hope, however, that you will be pleased to hear I plan to start writing again. Perhaps not a fanfic this time, but an original work of fiction, which you will be able to find on my Fiction Press page; fictionpress. com/~jehricka (without the space, of course). I would love to have some supporters over there, as well. It would help a lot in writing. Like always, I adore constructive criticism almost as much as I enjoy pleasing readers! It should also be noted that most stories I write, whether they are here or on Fiction Press, are intended for older audiences. There may be graphic scenes of mature content or harsh language, so keep that in mind when and if you read. Also, I do not plan on abandoning this account, nor this site, but I think my time of writing fanfiction has moved on. Maybe! Who knows.

Thanks again, and thank you for being so wonderful and supportive to me throughout the course of writing this story. Who knows? Maybe the next time you see an update, it will be an actually chapter in the story. C:

Yours truly,

Tasha

P.S. Please leave a comment, or a message if you'd like to share your thoughts/etc. I will be watching my e-mail closely, and will be reply to comments, questions, etc. C:


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